The risk and reward of travel influencer marketing

Want to stay in Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk’s favourite family getaways? Seek inspiration from media titles like Conde Nast Traveller? Or stay in the same holiday hangouts as your favourite travel YouTuber?

Influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become hugely significant in encouraging consumers to like and buy products across a range of consumer sectors, but until now there hasn’t been a simple way to proactively shop for travel recommendations.

That may be set to change with a brand new offering from Expedia. “Travel Shops” are online storefronts for tastemakers to share and save their travel recommendations on the Expedia app.

Launched with an initial 100+ Travel Shops from an initial invite-only wave of well-travelled individuals, experts, media publications, tourism boards and brands, it will expand next year so that anyone can create their own Travel Shop, monetising their own content in this central hub of travel recommendations.

Initially focused on Expedia’s inventory of 3m+ properties globally, it will expand to include airlines, car rentals, activities and more in future.

For travel businesses, platforms like this will continue to have ramifications on how they market their products. Social media is already a huge factor in travel decisions. Expedia says nearly 80% of travellers use it as a source of influence and research for their trips, and Travel Shops will make it easier for travellers to proactively find and follow the recommendations of the individuals, experts or brands they trust the most.

Marketing travel products and services has become much more complex in recent decades and – in common with other sectors – has increasingly moved online at great pace. More than ever, travel businesses need to understand how to introduce and sell their product to their audience via social media tastemakers – whether they are travel-specific influencers, celebrities, media publications or otherwise.

Though the rewards are rich, there are naturally pitfalls to navigating the world of working with influencers if not properly planned and executed.

Organisations and brands engaging with an influencer marketing strategy must be clear about who they want to reach. They must ensure the influencer is properly vetted and aligned with the target demographic in terms of factors including age, travel preferences and interests.

Influencers must also match your brand’s values and profile. Does their use of your brand seem authentic? Do they have a genuine passion for travel and the kind of product or experience you provide? Do they behave in a way that is consistent with the values you want to be associated with your brand? Though traditionally influencer partnerships have been managed on a consumer PR level, brands are increasingly perceived by customers for how they behave as well as the quality of their products and services, so casting a reputation management eye on consumer partnerships is ever-more important. Ensuring influencers are a realistic, and relatively risk-free match, can avoid brand damage further down the line.

There are also a wide range of different types of influencer to consider. While celebrity influencers might have the largest overall followings, travel bloggers might have a much higher proportion of passionate travellers following them, and micro-influencers often have the most engaged followings of all in their niche area of expertise, despite smaller volumes. Different types of influencer also come with vastly differing price points.

Brands also need to consider what to do with the partnership to make the most of it, with different content formats having different pros and cons. Influencers should be granted the creative freedom to do what they do best, but you still need to provide the clarity to ensure that red lines aren’t crossed.

Understanding the world of influencer marketing has become a must in the toolbox of travel brands, and new platforms like Travel Shops will only boost its importance. Done well it can help brands reach new audiences, increase trust levels and achieve measurable results. But as with any brand partnership, it comes with risk that must be effectively planned and managed to ensure it is a help, not a hindrance.