Advertise Now: The 7 Best Media Channels for Retail & Travel Brands

For retail and travel brands, showing up on the right media channels is critical. Efficient campaign performance on those media channels is the difference between being considered by a consumer and converting them into a lifelong customer.

With fragmented consumer journeys and rising acquisition costs, advertisers can’t afford wasted impressions. They need performance that delivers real business outcomes. 

Whether you're rebuilding your media mix or looking to scale your next campaign, we’ve highlighted seven of the best media channels that offer retail and travel brands a way to grow market share, access new customers, and bend the curve of diminishing returns from traditional search.

1. Native Search

Best for: Reaching high-intent consumers beyond legacy search engines

Search doesn’t start and stop on Google anymore. Today’s consumers are expressing intent across a growing set of apps, publisher sites, and platforms. That’s where native search advertising comes in.

Native search advertising—across browsers, buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps, and AI search—is helping retail and travel marketers reach high-intent consumers in moments that matter. 

adMarketplace, the largest global marketplace for native search advertising, connects retail and travel brands to 1B+ monthly native search queries—unlocking high-value, intent-driven traffic across exclusive, brand-safe media placements not available on Google or affiliate networks.

Our native search media consistently delivers:

• 70% lower CPCs vs. legacy search
• Higher incremental conversion rates
• Proven lifts in GMV and bookings across top retail and travel categories

Why native search media works:

• Captures non-brand, in-market intent across the full consumer journey
• Privacy-first and cookieless: no reliance on PII or third-party data
• Incremental performance at scale, validated by client-side measurement

• Bends the curve of diminishing returns from other channels in your media mix

Many retail and travel brands are turning to native search to grow market share, access new customers, and reduce over-reliance on traditional channels. Check out this case study on the UK brand THG, who reduced costs and increased their incremental revenue by 10% when they diversified with adMarketplace native search media.

2. Social Media

Best for: Visual storytelling and retargeting

From TikTok trip inspiration videos to Instagram carousel ads, social media remains a vital piece of the performance puzzle. While CPMs have risen, the ability to hyper-target and personalize content makes this channel a mainstay.

Why social media works:

• Strong for brand and performance objectives
• Easy to test creatives, audiences, and offers
• Video + carousel formats drive higher CTRs and conversions

For retail and travel, social shines when showcasing visuals — think hotel views, product textures, or UGC from real travelers.

3. Influencer Marketing

Best for: Trust-building and niche audience targeting

Influencers, especially micro and mid-tier creators, drive results by tapping into loyal, trusting audiences. For both retail and travel, influencer content often sparks the research phase before a user ever hits a search page.

Why influencer marketing works:

• Drives consideration and action
• Highly effective for new product launches or destination marketing
• Cross-posting opportunities for organic and paid media

Influencer strategies often pair well with native search to close the intent loop and convert demand.

4. Affiliate Networks

Best for: Driving conversions with partner reach

Affiliate marketing is a low-risk channel that rewards publishers only when a conversion happens. For retail and travel, it's especially effective during seasonal peaks, loyalty pushes, and limited-time offers.

Why affiliate media works:

• Performance-based cost structure
• Scales rapidly with the right partners
• Great for promotions, bundles, and loyalty programs

Retail brands often use affiliates to amplify flash sales, while travel advertisers use it to promote packages, deals, and last-minute bookings.

5. Retail Media Networks

Best for: Closed-loop attribution and point-of-sale targeting

Retail media networks (RMNs) like Amazon, Walmart Connect, and Target Roundel offer advertisers the ability to reach shoppers as they browse and buy. For CPG and product-focused travel gear, RMNs are indispensable.

Why retail media works:

• Direct access to in-market consumers
• High-intent ad placements
• Real-time shopper data and closed-loop attribution

Retail brands use RMNs to boost share of shelf and win seasonal consideration, while travel brands rely on RMNs for luggage, apparel, or gear promotions.

6. Connected TV (CTV) and Streaming

Best for: High-impact storytelling at scale

CTV bridges the gap between branding and performance. With advanced targeting and attribution, retail and travel brands can run shoppable ads, measure outcomes, and retarget viewers across devices.

Why CTV works:

• Engages cord-cutting audiences
• Click-to-shop and QR code integrations
• Drives both online and offline conversions

Retailers often push new collections via CTV, while travel brands use it for destination awareness and package promotion.

7. Email and SMS Marketing

Best for: Retention and reactivation

While not new, email and SMS remain powerful performance channels—especially for loyalty, upsells, and abandoned cart recovery. Retail and travel brands use them to re-engage users and keep the purchase cycle moving.

Why email & SMS marketing works:

• Direct, personalized, and cost-efficient
• Excellent for loyalty campaigns and flash sales
• High open and conversion rates with segmented lists

Pair with native search or social to re-engage lapsed visitors and close the loop.

Go Beyond the SERP. Meet Consumers Where Intent Starts.

Success in retail and travel performance marketing isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about showing up where it counts. As more shoppers move beyond Google and Bing, these media channels have emerged as proven performance drivers. 

adMarketplace’s native search media solutions help retail and travel brands capture consumer intent—before, during, and after the search—with exclusive access to high-performing channels like browsers, BNPL apps, and AI search.

Ready to scale your retail or travel campaigns with native search? Reach out today and discover how adMarketplace’s native search media can help you increase brand awareness and engagement with relevant ads across the entire consumer journey.