CNN named most popular new source for business and leisure travellers

No other international news media comes close to CNN in engaging with global business and leisure travel audiences, according to the inaugural Media GPS survey, conducted by international research consultancy BDRC Group, which has studied the trends of 9.9 million weekly international travellers.

By surveying international travellers as they book through online travel agencies (OTAs), traditional travel agents and corporate travel management companies (TMCs), the Media GPS study found that over 50% of all international travellers turn to CNN via TV and digital for news and information during their trips.

This is ahead of the BBC (43% reach), CNBC (27%) and all other international news brands. The study shows CNN audiences to be affluent, frequent travellers for both business and leisure, accounting for nearly 42 million international air trips and 63 million total nights in hotels for business annually, and liquid assets totalling $1.7 billion dollars.

The Media GPS survey also shows CNN extending its #1 position amongst key traveller audiences for international advertisers such as Business Influencers (CNN: 58%; BBC: 49%; CNBC: 32%), C-suites (CNN: 59%; BBC: 49%; CNBC: 32%) High Income Earners (CNN: 60%; BBC: 50%; CNBC: 32%) and International Travellers (CNN: 58%; BBC: 52%; CNBC: 29%).

“This study is an interesting departure from traditional recall surveys as it uses the moment of booking a flight to understand the profile and habits of international travellers and combine that insight with data about their travel plans,” said Mark Sear, Vice President, Audiences and Data, CNN International Commercial. “It gives a robust picture and rich data points that we can use to further understand trends amongst influential and affluent audiences. However, you don’t need to be a data scientist to understand the two main findings - that CNN is by far the news source of choice amongst international travellers, and that our audience is upscale with spending power in both their professional and private lives.”

CNN doubles down on premium content brands
The aunch of an all-new CNN Travel multimedia digital destination is the latest step in CNN’s strategy to build premium content brands that appeal to global audiences and commercial partners.

CNN Travel has a new design as a globally-minded, mobile-first, social product with an emphasis on visual storytelling. CNN Travel will be led by executive editor Brekke Fletcher, who joined the network from the Wall Street Journal last September. With her growing global team and a network of more than 800 travel contributors and insiders around the globe, CNN Travel will be the leading digital destination for the globally curious traveler. Using every available digital story-telling tool, from articles to galleries, short-form digital video and animations, maps, audio, illustration, CNN Travel will provide unrivaled, authoritative content presented with visual sophistication and artistry. CNN Travel's multiplatform, multimedia approach will include text, video, interactives and social-first storytelling, as well as a newsletter, events and podcasts. 

This launch follows the recent announcement of CNN Tech, as CNN develops its technology coverage in line with the investment it has put into CNN Politics, CNNMoney and CNN Style in recent years to propel those destinations as leaders in their sectors.

In May, CNN Tech unveiled a new look and fresh editorial approach to equip today’s curious consumers with the tools to survive in the ever-evolving world. The site - led by executive editor Sam Grobart and a growing global team - looks beyond the business of technology to focus on innovation itself, exploring the impact of tech and start-up hubs around the world – from Silicon Valley to Berlin to Bengaluru – and the role of science and technology in society.

CNN Tech is also expanding onto linear with the airing of Senior Correspondent Laurie Segall’s ground-breaking series Mostly Human. First available on CNN’s OTT platform CNNgo, the series, which looks at our increasingly complicated relationship with technology is now airing on CNN International, reaching over 350 million households globally.

CNN’s strategy around premium content business has been a huge success amongst audiences, CNN Digital Worldwide saw 200 million multiplatform unique visitors in May 2017, in addition to 448 million video starts across platforms.*

From an advertiser perspective, CNN International Commercial has attracted a host of luxury clients such as Cartier, RADO and Bulgari since the launch of CNN Style on digital in 2015 and then on TV a year later. On CNNMoney, international partners since the site’s expansion in February 2016 include Capgemini, Brand South Africa, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India, and Dubai Commerce and Tourism.

“The expansion of CNN Travel and CNN Tech alongside our other premium businesses is a core part of CNN’s strategy to deepen our connection with existing audiences, attract new demographics and target consumers with broader interests,” said Rani Raad, President, CNN International Commercial. “These premium environments also present greater opportunities for brands to connect with CNN’s audiences through sponsorship and branded content partnerships. We are working closely with clients to draw on this powerful mix of content, commercial solutions and data targeting across multiple platforms to establish partnerships that deliver meaningful results and a halo effect to our partners.”

“In order to fuel our core mission, we are creating content and environments that match our journalistic integrity but go beyond breaking news,” says Ed O’Keefe, Senior Vice President of Premium Digital Content. "This is the first step in an ongoing journey. CNN is as committed to CNN Tech and CNN Travel as we were about CNN Politics beginning in 2014. We have aggressive plans in the months to come to hire the top talent, iterate on our site, and produce some of the most original, boundary-pushing video in the industry. Stay tuned.”

*Source: Adobe Reports & Analytics; uniques include CNN.com, CNNi.com and apps; video includes CNN.com, CNNi.com, apps and CNNMoney.