So You Forgot to Plan Your Holiday Campaign. Same. Here’s How to Fake It Like a Pro.

Mini rant: Why am I seeing so many "Plan your holiday marketing" webinars, like, ...now??

If you’re still “planning” your holiday campaign in November, congratulations, you’re already late.

The trees are up. The lights are on. The world has moved into peppermint mode while you’re still debating fonts in a shared drive named “Final_Final_Holiday2025_v8.”

Guess what? It’s not too late to matter.

Every year, tourism teams get buried in deadlines, politics, and “waiting on one last approval.” And every year, a few destinations rise above it. Not because they had a massive budget or a three-agency pitch deck, but because they remembered what this season is actually about.

Not the ad. The emotion.

The destinations and boutique brands that win during the holidays aren’t always the ones with the best creative; they’re the ones that feel like home.

So, in case you’re still staring at your campaign plan with a candy cane in one hand and an existential crisis in the other, here’s how to fix it. Right. Now.

1. Pretend You Meant to Do It This Way.

Own the chaos. If you’re late, go small and go honest. Create something so genuine it looks intentional.

Film your mayor hanging lights. Post your local coffee shop barista belting “Jingle Bell Rock.” Record a two-second clip of your team decorating the office tree with broken ornaments and bad wifi.

People don’t want polish right now. They want presence.

The most successful holiday campaigns are those that feel human, not corporate. Because while your committee debates logo placement, travelers are choosing based on feeling.

According to a 2025 survey by Deloitte, more than 70% of holiday travelers say experiences are their top priority...not deals, not packages, not points. Experiences.

So forget the 30-second spot. Give them a 5-second feeling.

2. Cut Your Copy in Half. Then Cut It Again.

No one has time for your 12-sentence ode to “seasonal charm.”

Your audience is scrolling while standing in line at Target, looking for one thing: clarity.

Try this: “See our town light up. Join us this weekend.” or “Hot cocoa. Live music. You’re invited.”

Simple. Local. Inviting.

If your copy could fit on a bumper sticker, you’re finally doing it right.

3. Swap Stock Joy for Real Faces.

If your hero image looks like a Hallmark card, it’s already too late.

You know what people trust more than perfect lighting? Recognition.

Show the hotel clerk who knows everyone by name. The chef whose menu changes every December. The volunteer who sets up chairs in the snow.

According to Stackla’s 2025 data, 79% of consumers say user-generated content highly impacts their purchase decisions, more than polished brand visuals.

Real people make real impact.

4. Re-align Your Call to Action.

If your campaign still says “Book Now,” you’re missing the mood.

It’s not about the booking. It’s about belonging.

Replace “Buy” with “Be.” Replace “Plan” with “Feel.” Replace “Offer” with “Invitation.”

Try lines like: “Find your reason to come home.” “Make this year local.” “Reconnect where it matters.”

When it comes to the holidays, emotion beats urgency every single time.

5. Remember Who You’re Really Marketing For.

Behind every twinkle light, every snowflake, every photo in your campaign, there’s a person who made it happen.

The front-desk worker who swaps shifts so someone else can open gifts with their kids. The tourism director who’s answering DMs on Christmas Eve. The restaurant owner who cleans up after the last office party of the season. The event volunteer handing out cider with frozen fingers.

Those people are the campaign.

They’re the memory makers.

They’re the reason travelers come back.

And if you want your message to land, stop marketing to your audience and start marketing for your people.

Spotlight them. Thank them. Celebrate them.

Because when you tell the truth about who really makes a destination special, everyone listening feels it.

Here’s the Real Fix.

You’re not too late. You’re right on time, because now you get to tell the story as it’s happening.

Go live. Get messy. Laugh at yourself. Film the team. Post the behind-the-scenes chaos. Call it “authentic storytelling.”

The tree doesn’t have to be perfect. The video doesn’t need a filter.

It just needs heart.

Travelers don’t remember your copy. They remember your kindness. They remember your people. They remember the moment you made them feel like part of the story.

And that - not your ROI, not your CPM, not your campaign calendar - is the magic of tourism.

🖤 I'm Jenn Barbee, reminding you it’s too late to be early.

But it’s not too late to be human.