Email has long been one of the most cost-effective ways for hotels and tourism brands to connect with guests. But in 2025, the inbox is more crowded than ever. With guests juggling travel deals, loyalty program updates, event invitations, and OTA promotions, it’s harder to know if your emails are breaking through the noise. That’s where email marketing industry benchmarks come in, they give you a reference point to see how your performance compares to others in your sector and guide your next steps.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Are our campaigns working?”, the answer isn’t just in your open rates. Metrics like click-through rate benchmarks by industry, bounce rate benchmarks by industry, and conversion data reveal how effectively you’re reaching and engaging the right audience. And for hotels and tourism businesses, these numbers directly impact one of your most critical goals: driving more direct bookings.
In tourism and hospitality, competition is fierce. OTAs are spending big to dominate search results, and travelers are more price-sensitive than they were even a few years ago. Email gives you a direct line to your guests, but if you’re not measuring performance against email marketing industry benchmarks, you risk relying on guesswork.
Benchmarks help you:
When you compare your own numbers to click-through rate benchmarks by industry or bounce rate benchmarks by industry, you gain context. A 2% CTR might look fine at a glance, but if the hospitality average is 4%, there’s room for improvement.
While benchmarks vary slightly depending on the source, here’s what the 2025 data is showing for tourism and hospitality brands:
If your numbers are consistently above these email marketing industry benchmarks, you’re ahead of the game. If they’re lower, it’s a sign your strategy may need some fine-tuning.
High bounce rates damage deliverability. Compare your numbers to bounce rate benchmarks by industry, if you’re above 1%, it’s time to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
Open rates are your first engagement hurdle. Experiment with tone, length, and personalization to see what resonates with travelers.
Families, solo travelers, corporate guests — they each respond to different offers. Segmentation can boost CTR well above the click-through rate benchmarks by industry.
Over half of travel emails are opened on a phone. If your design isn’t mobile-friendly, clicks will drop.
Instead of “Book Now,” try contextual CTAs like “View Your Summer Rate” or “See This Weekend’s Special.” Relevant, time-sensitive CTAs can push CTR higher than the industry average.
Hotels see natural swings in engagement depending on season and audience. A summer flash-sale email might outperform winter midweek stay offers, even if both are strong campaigns. That’s why email marketing industry benchmarks are best used as a guide; your own trends matter just as much.
For example:
The most valuable takeaway from email marketing industry benchmarks isn’t just knowing where you stand — it’s using the data to drive more revenue. If your CTR is low compared to click-through rate benchmarks by industry, it might mean your offers aren’t enticing enough. If your bounce rate is higher than the bounce rate benchmarks by industry, it could signal list quality issues that are hurting your chances of getting in front of the right guests.
By regularly tracking your numbers and making small, consistent improvements, you’ll not only meet the benchmarks — you’ll exceed them, turning your emails into one of the strongest revenue channels for your hotel.
Bottom Line: In 2025, hospitality brands can’t afford to run email marketing on instinct alone. Measuring against email marketing industry benchmarks — and knowing where you stand on bounce rates and click-through rates, gives you the clarity to make smarter decisions, compete with OTAs, and capture more direct bookings. It’s not about chasing someone else’s numbers; it’s about using them to make yours better.
From subject lines to segmentation, as a hospitality marketing agency, we understand what drives engagement in hospitality. Partner with us to build email campaigns that deliver more than opens; they deliver loyal guests.