Blog
Jun 27, 2025
Rethinking marketing strategy for travel-focused brands — the unseen touchpoint
Rethinking marketing strategy for travel-focused brands — the unseen touchpoint
Rethinking marketing strategy for travel-focused brands — the unseen touchpoint
Expanding horizons - the first media project by Identity Invest Group in the UK
Expanding horizons - the first media project by Identity Invest Group in the UK
Expanding horizons - the first media project by Identity Invest Group in the UK
Coming into the UK market as a Ukrainian team, we were able to look at it with fresh eyes — an outside perspective, free from bias. It quickly became clear that marketers are looking for relevance — they want to know exactly what they’re paying for. Mass reach and untargeted impressions are no longer a priority. The market is clearly shifting towards more meaningful solutions, where advertising feels relevant, fits the customer’s context, and serves their immediate needs.
That’s why our strategic goal was to build the project around this insight — to offer brands shifting their awareness budgets, as well as in-house marketing teams focused on results-driven media planning, a solution that truly meets these needs.
That’s how the Global Gateway media project was created. In partnership with VFS Global — the world’s leading visa outsourcing provider — we launched a media network across four Visa Application Centres in the UK, covering three key cities: London, Manchester and Edinburgh. This opened up a new touchpoint for brands — at the visa application stage of the travel journey.
It’s a decisive moment — when the trip is confirmed (applying for a visa proves it), but the journey hasn’t started yet. Travellers are in full planning mode — booking flights, hotels and transfers, picking luggage, sorting mobile connectivity, currency, and everything else that makes the trip smooth, comfortable and stress-free.
This format was previously unavailable due to strict diplomatic restrictions. But we found a simple solution to a complex challenge — placing media in common waiting areas, without access to private visa processing zones. This is where brands connect with future travellers during their 45–60 minute dwell time before their biometric appointment.
For context, the visa applicant journey typically includes four key stages:
1. Online visa application submission – where the applicant provides personal details, financial evidence, travel intent, pays the visa processing fee, and uploads any additional supporting documents.
2. Biometric data collection (1st Audience Touchpoint). The applicant visits the Visa Application Centre by pre-booked appointment to provide fingerprints, a photo, and in some cases, their passport or attend an interview.
3. The applicant receives a decision on their visa and, if approved, the passport is sent for visa stamping.
4. Passport return (2nd Audience Touchpoint) – the applicant is choosing to either collect their passport in person at the centre or receive it by post. The majority of applicants prefer to collect it themselves for security reasons.
As a result, applicants are usually set to travel within 30 to 45 days of visa approval — making them a high-intent audience with confirmed plans and a key purchase decisions still to be made.
But our format goes beyond the usual formula: the right place, the right audience, the right time. Let’s take a closer look at the key differentiators that make our solution worth your media budget.
1. Multinational, global audience, with the main segment being international residents living in the UK who require visas even for short-term holidays — short-term visas dominate the market, accounting for nearly 62% of global tourist visa applications in 2025. Source: Tourist Visa Service Market Analysis & Forecast: 2025-2032, Coherent Market Insights
2. Legally verified through the visa process and financially committed by paying visa application fees of £100–£1,000, this audience represents an affluent group of travellers with ready-to-spend budgets on travel-related services.
3. Since travel is always an exciting and emotionally significant experience, the audience is highly focused on trip details. In this context, ads aren’t seen as advertising — they’re perceived as helpful solutions and timely support for the upcoming journey.
4. During the extended waiting time, visitors are exposed to the same ads multiple times — driving strong recall and brand awareness, and creating space for storytelling format.
5. The centres themselves offer an exclusive, brand-safe environment where content standards are naturally high and brand messaging appears within a context of trust. The operator upholds responsible social practices and a culture of integrity and inclusiveness.
6. For the same reason mentioned above, the environment remains distraction-free with limited noise and advertising clutter around.
7. We deliver multichannel communication through dynamic video content on digital displays, posters featuring creative, location-specific messaging, flyers and digital leaflets as supplementary tools for those motivated enough to purchase. Together, these formats create a digital-to-physical brand experience — designed to boost a brand’s share of voice.
8. We maintain a well-balanced broadcast loop featuring helpful partner tips, engaging destination videos, and a limited number of client slots — no more than six per month — to ensure strong visibility.
9. We provide end-to-end video support — from motion graphics using your digital assets to format-optimised adaptations for our screens.
10. As a media-tech company, we stand for smart, innovative solutions. Our platform is equipped with tech-savvy features — for example, integrating real-time currency rates on widget section of the screen for foreign exchange clients, or linking rainy weather to sunny holiday offers for airlines. And that’s just a glimpse. We have a range of ready-to-use trigger-based solutions and can easily develop custom ones to suit your brand.
And even that doesn’t cover all our unique selling points! For agencies, our format adds value in first-mover advantage. A new and distinctive platform that offers an alternative to oversaturated traditional media channels.
The reach of 600,000 travellers annually often seems modest to media planners at first glance, but taking into account everything mentioned above, it offers strong support for the OOH mix — combining scale with precise relevance and improving overall ROI in the result.
And there’s still more to share — but let’s save the most interesting parts for a face-to-face meetings - surprising pricing, smart reporting, eye-catching widgets, deep audience insights, and exclusive placement opportunities 🤫
As newcomers to the UK market, we bring fresh energy and full commitment. Ready to co-create a bold, first-to-market campaigns, while supporting you side by side at every stage. Let’s drive change together!
Ready to explore the opportunity? Get in touch at tamila@globalgateway.media for our media pack.
Coming into the UK market as a Ukrainian team, we were able to look at it with fresh eyes — an outside perspective, free from bias. It quickly became clear that marketers are looking for relevance — they want to know exactly what they’re paying for. Mass reach and untargeted impressions are no longer a priority. The market is clearly shifting towards more meaningful solutions, where advertising feels relevant, fits the customer’s context, and serves their immediate needs.
That’s why our strategic goal was to build the project around this insight — to offer brands shifting their awareness budgets, as well as in-house marketing teams focused on results-driven media planning, a solution that truly meets these needs.
That’s how the Global Gateway media project was created. In partnership with VFS Global — the world’s leading visa outsourcing provider — we launched a media network across four Visa Application Centres in the UK, covering three key cities: London, Manchester and Edinburgh. This opened up a new touchpoint for brands — at the visa application stage of the travel journey.
It’s a decisive moment — when the trip is confirmed (applying for a visa proves it), but the journey hasn’t started yet. Travellers are in full planning mode — booking flights, hotels and transfers, picking luggage, sorting mobile connectivity, currency, and everything else that makes the trip smooth, comfortable and stress-free.
This format was previously unavailable due to strict diplomatic restrictions. But we found a simple solution to a complex challenge — placing media in common waiting areas, without access to private visa processing zones. This is where brands connect with future travellers during their 45–60 minute dwell time before their biometric appointment.
For context, the visa applicant journey typically includes four key stages:
1. Online visa application submission – where the applicant provides personal details, financial evidence, travel intent, pays the visa processing fee, and uploads any additional supporting documents.
2. Biometric data collection (1st Audience Touchpoint). The applicant visits the Visa Application Centre by pre-booked appointment to provide fingerprints, a photo, and in some cases, their passport or attend an interview.
3. The applicant receives a decision on their visa and, if approved, the passport is sent for visa stamping.
4. Passport return (2nd Audience Touchpoint) – the applicant is choosing to either collect their passport in person at the centre or receive it by post. The majority of applicants prefer to collect it themselves for security reasons.
As a result, applicants are usually set to travel within 30 to 45 days of visa approval — making them a high-intent audience with confirmed plans and a key purchase decisions still to be made.
But our format goes beyond the usual formula: the right place, the right audience, the right time. Let’s take a closer look at the key differentiators that make our solution worth your media budget.
1. Multinational, global audience, with the main segment being international residents living in the UK who require visas even for short-term holidays — short-term visas dominate the market, accounting for nearly 62% of global tourist visa applications in 2025. Source: Tourist Visa Service Market Analysis & Forecast: 2025-2032, Coherent Market Insights
2. Legally verified through the visa process and financially committed by paying visa application fees of £100–£1,000, this audience represents an affluent group of travellers with ready-to-spend budgets on travel-related services.
3. Since travel is always an exciting and emotionally significant experience, the audience is highly focused on trip details. In this context, ads aren’t seen as advertising — they’re perceived as helpful solutions and timely support for the upcoming journey.
4. During the extended waiting time, visitors are exposed to the same ads multiple times — driving strong recall and brand awareness, and creating space for storytelling format.
5. The centres themselves offer an exclusive, brand-safe environment where content standards are naturally high and brand messaging appears within a context of trust. The operator upholds responsible social practices and a culture of integrity and inclusiveness.
6. For the same reason mentioned above, the environment remains distraction-free with limited noise and advertising clutter around.
7. We deliver multichannel communication through dynamic video content on digital displays, posters featuring creative, location-specific messaging, flyers and digital leaflets as supplementary tools for those motivated enough to purchase. Together, these formats create a digital-to-physical brand experience — designed to boost a brand’s share of voice.
8. We maintain a well-balanced broadcast loop featuring helpful partner tips, engaging destination videos, and a limited number of client slots — no more than six per month — to ensure strong visibility.
9. We provide end-to-end video support — from motion graphics using your digital assets to format-optimised adaptations for our screens.
10. As a media-tech company, we stand for smart, innovative solutions. Our platform is equipped with tech-savvy features — for example, integrating real-time currency rates on widget section of the screen for foreign exchange clients, or linking rainy weather to sunny holiday offers for airlines. And that’s just a glimpse. We have a range of ready-to-use trigger-based solutions and can easily develop custom ones to suit your brand.
And even that doesn’t cover all our unique selling points! For agencies, our format adds value in first-mover advantage. A new and distinctive platform that offers an alternative to oversaturated traditional media channels.
The reach of 600,000 travellers annually often seems modest to media planners at first glance, but taking into account everything mentioned above, it offers strong support for the OOH mix — combining scale with precise relevance and improving overall ROI in the result.
And there’s still more to share — but let’s save the most interesting parts for a face-to-face meetings - surprising pricing, smart reporting, eye-catching widgets, deep audience insights, and exclusive placement opportunities 🤫
As newcomers to the UK market, we bring fresh energy and full commitment. Ready to co-create a bold, first-to-market campaigns, while supporting you side by side at every stage. Let’s drive change together!
Ready to explore the opportunity? Get in touch at tamila@globalgateway.media for our media pack.
