The hospitality industry is all about inviting people to experience something special, whether it’s the warm sunlight against a crystal-blue ocean at a resort or the cultural delights of a city-based hotel. Yet, even the most picturesque property risks getting lost in the digital din unless it effectively commands attention. That’s where influencer marketing enters the scene. In recent years, content creators—ranging from micro vloggers to star-studded travel personalities—have revolutionized how travelers discover and choose accommodations. A single influencer highlight or personal story can guide an entire wave of bookings, forging deeper emotional connections between a place and its potential guests.
While influencer marketing is not exactly new, it continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, especially for hotels and resorts. There is no magical one-size-fits-all formula. Instead, success arises from aligning influencer strategies with brand identity, local culture, audience preferences, and, increasingly, travelers’ thirst for immersive narratives. In this guide, we’ll delve into the major trends shaping influencer marketing for hotels and resorts, share insights on how to harness these trends effectively, and reference some compelling stats and examples from around the industry. As the Pickle Team, we have witnessed campaigns that soared—and occasionally, campaigns that fizzled—so we will provide honest, actionable knowledge to elevate your approach.
Travel decisions, especially for premium or exotic locales, hinge not merely on convenience or price, but on that sense of aspiration and trust. A well-curated post from a traveler who tries out a resort can make a place feel tangible, capturing personal experiences (like the sunrise yoga or the Michelin-starred dinner) that official brand messaging can struggle to convey. Influencers serve as storytellers, unveiling hidden angles of a property—a particular spa experience, the tranquil infinity pool at midnight, or staff who go the extra mile.
According to some industry research, as showcased in a report by Influencer Marketing Hub, around 49% of consumers rely on recommendations from digital creators when selecting travel destinations. People are more likely to trust an influencer’s anecdotal review than a glossy advertisement. For hotels and resorts, the chance to channel that trust is invaluable. Instead of a top-down approach (“Look how perfect our property is!”), influencer marketing fosters a peer-to-peer vibe (“Here’s what I personally loved and discovered that you might also enjoy.”). The difference? Authentic context that resonates with viewers’ imaginations and daily lives.
One key trend we have seen is the pivot from big, celebrity-level influencers to smaller, niche creators. Sure, mega influencers with millions of followers still command a presence. But, ironically, using them can sometimes yield superficial engagements or a mismatch with your brand identity. Micro influencers (10k–100k followers) or nano influencers (<10k) often deliver more intense loyalty from their fans. They speak with a familiar, peer-like voice and can position your hotel or resort as an approachable gem rather than a remote, five-star fantasy.
Why Micro or Nano for Hotels:
Trust and Accessibility: Followers see these influencers as more “like them,” so the endorsements or experiences come across as genuine.
Cost Efficiency: Collaborations with smaller influencers can be less expensive, or structured around brand experiences (like free stays, perks, or experiences) rather than sky-high monetary fees.
Local Connections: If your property aims to lure visitors from a specific region or city, local micro influencers can highlight your place from a local vantage. For instance, a micro influencer from the Netherlands might showcase how your Spanish coastal resort is perfect for weekend getaways, bridging a direct interest group.
To maximize returns, cultivate personal ties with these smaller creators, offering them unique, personal experiences of your property. They are likely to produce multiple posts, stories, or Reels, organically weaving your brand into their feed over time—rather than a one-off mention.
In the age of Reels, TikTok, and short-form YouTube content, it is no longer enough to rely on static photos of your property’s swimming pool or bedroom view. This extends especially to hotels, where potential guests crave a sense of “being there” before they book. Influencer-produced videos—like a quick “Room Tour,” “Luxury Lobby Reveal,” or “Fun Day at the Pool” montage—hook people’s attention far more effectively than static images.
Consider:
Behind-the-Scenes: Let the influencer film how your chef prepares local delicacies in the kitchen, or how housekeeping folds those cunning towel origami swans. This “backstage pass” angle charms viewers and emphasizes your brand’s unique story.
Short, Snackable Clips: Crisp, polished short videos for Reels or TikTok thrive on mesmerizing angles—like a panoramic shot of an ocean view or step-by-step footage of a spa session.
Live Streams: Some hotels partner with creators for short live streams of events or daily highlights. The spontaneity makes it feel real and thus more believable.
As is typical in modern marketing, the best approach merges curated footage with genuine influencer reactions. That synergy encourages watchers to daydream about themselves stepping into that same location, adopting the influencer’s perspective. The more visually immersive the content, the stronger the yearning for the experience.
Guests can find thousands of identical pictures of plush bedding or fancy bathrooms across countless hotels. The question is: what sets your property apart? Increasingly, influencers highlight experiences beyond the four walls—like local day trips, cultural interactions, unique spa treatments, or gourmet classes. This approach reframes your brand from “a place to sleep” to “a hub for curated adventures or relaxation.”
Examples:
A family-friendly influencer might illustrate how seamlessly your resort arranges child-friendly activities, from mini safaris to kid’s yoga, giving parents a break.
A wellness-focused influencer might do a day-in-the-life series featuring a dawn meditation on the property’s private beach and a holistic therapy session.
A culinary influencer might highlight the property’s farm-to-table approach, filming the local produce supply chain or a live cooking demonstration with your resident chef.
By tying these experiences to local color—like nearby markets, artisans, or nature—your brand becomes a unique gem in that region’s tourism map. The influencer becomes a guide, leading followers through memorable encounters, rather than merely endorsing a bed-and-breakfast stay.
Travelers are increasingly conscious about the impact of their wanderlust, from carbon footprints to local community welfare. The same goes for influencer marketing, where promoting environmental and social responsibility can bolster your brand’s identity. Influencers attuned to sustainability—like those who highlight eco-friendly accommodations, community-based tourism, or low-plastic footprints—offer an avenue to connect with responsible travelers.
How:
Emphasize your property’s “green” credentials: do you have solar power usage, a zero-waste policy, or a partnership with local conservation groups?
Encourage the influencer to show real evidence. Maybe they film the recycling corners, interview staff about water conservation, or display “behind the scenes” of how your property invests in reforestation.
Offer local cultural engagements that do not exploit communities. For instance, endorsing legitimate tours that respect local traditions or neighborhoods fosters authenticity.
In championing ethics and sustainability, you do more than just earn a few likes. You open the door to a loyal tribe of travelers who value mindful footprints. This tribe tends to share experiences passionately within their own circles, further amplifying your brand.
While not yet mainstream in every campaign, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences are sprouting up in the hospitality sector. Some forward-thinking resorts equip influencers with VR cams to create immersive tours. Others develop AR filters that let potential guests virtually “step” into a 360-degree pool view or spa corridor. The concept might sound high-tech, but the potential for hooking audiences is immense: letting them sense your location’s ambiance from halfway across the world.
For instance:
A well-known travel influencer, using a VR camera, might capture an entire day’s journey from the beach to a hillside restaurant, letting watchers explore the surroundings via a VR headset.
Alternatively, AR filters can place a user’s phone in “walkthrough mode,” letting them see your property’s main lounge or signature suite overlayed onto their living room.
Not every brand or influencer requires such advanced technology, but if your property invests in “experience-led marketing,” dabbling in VR/AR solutions can position you as cutting-edge and memorable. This may be especially beneficial for newly launched resorts that want to stand out in a sea of existing competition.
Another shift in influencer marketing is the move away from impersonal sponsored stays. Instead of inviting an influencer to a standard room and generic meal, hotels are tailoring the entire experience around the influencer’s persona. That might include a custom “welcome hamper” featuring their favorite wine or locally inspired goodies, or a curated itinerary that resonates with their known passions—like a sunrise trek for a fitness influencer or a local artisanal craft workshop for a cultural blogger.
Why bother with personal touches? Because those extras evoke genuine gratitude and excitement from the influencer. Their resulting content is naturally enthusiastic, full of behind-the-scenes glimpses, raising your brand’s authenticity factor. Meanwhile, the influencer’s followers sense the sincerity behind each post or story, feeling that the property truly invests in guest happiness rather than just ticking boxes for a promotional deal.
Hotels with consistent seasonal traffic might explore forging longer-term relationships—like naming certain influencers “resident ambassadors” for a particular season or theme. Instead of a fleeting weekend stay, the influencer might come several times throughout a year, each time spotlighting new offerings or changes. Alternatively, the influencer might produce a mini-series, chunked into monthly updates about local events or property expansions. This fosters brand familiarity among the influencer’s fans, as they see repeated behind-the-scenes evolution of the property.
Such extended engagement can revolve around the influencer’s personal arc—maybe they are focusing on a fitness journey and show how your resort’s gym or spa helps them progress. Or they might be exploring regional festivals, using your hotel as their base. The synergy of story-based content, repeated brand mentions, and evolving narrative stands out from typical fleeting campaigns. This pattern can also yield better ROI because it invests in deeper creative synergy.
Travel influencers often operate across multiple channels, from YouTube to Instagram, TikTok, and personal blogs. For hotels, that multi-platform presence offers layered marketing possibilities. For example, a single influencer campaign can produce:
A polished, 8-minute YouTube vlog recapping the entire stay.
A series of daily IG Reels capturing real-time reactions to the property’s dining or activities.
A comedic short snippet for TikTok, highlighting an adventurous local excursion.
Blog posts or personal newsletter features discussing the property’s unique vantage on local culture.
This synergy ensures your brand’s message saturates different audience segments. Additionally, the influencer can cross-reference channels (“Head to my YouTube for a full in-depth property tour!”). For your brand, it is a chance to glean varied content from a single collaboration, reusing that content in your own social or on-site marketing. Always clarify usage rights in your influencer agreement, ensuring you can repurpose the most successful pieces.
More than posting pretty pictures, hotels and resorts now rely on metrics to gauge campaign performance. Smart influencer marketing involves:
Unique URLs or Discount Codes: If bookings can be traced to an influencer’s code or link, you see direct conversions.
Engagement and Sentiment Analysis: Tools can measure the emotional tenor of comments. Are people intrigued, or does the campaign yield no significant buzz?
Follower Growth: Maybe your Instagram account sees a major uptick in fans after an influencer collaboration.
Time on Website: Potential guests who land on your site from an influencer’s link might spend more time exploring room types or local attractions. That indicates deeper interest.
Some advanced agencies or internal teams incorporate predictive analytics, anticipating which influencer or content style might resonate best for future seasons. If a certain influencer’s audience is predominantly young couples, that might spike honeymoon package interest. Meanwhile, a family travel influencer might lead to summer holiday bookings or multi-room suite promotions. The data ensures you scale the right approach, not repeating strategies that yield minimal results.
Finally, any influencer push should strive for cultural respect. While many travelers love a property that showcases local traditions, there is a risk of oversimplifying or exoticizing local communities. A mindful approach ensures that influencer content does not reduce local culture to mere “backdrop,” but highlights genuine collaboration or positive local impact.
For instance, if your property is near a historical village or an indigenous community, the influencer might record an experience learning about the local craft tradition. In doing so, they must show respect, accurate representation, and highlight how the community benefits from tourist engagement. This approach fosters a deeper sense of authenticity and fosters positive brand reputation. Many travelers appreciate seeing intangible aspects of a region, not just the pool or breakfast buffet.
Influencer marketing in the hotel and resort world is no mere trend—it is a dynamic, evolving tactic essential for connecting with modern travelers. With strategies that lean on micro influencer authenticity, immersive visuals, sustainability angles, extended brand collaborations, and local cultural synergy, hotels can create a tapestry of content that truly stands out. We are well past the era of glossy brochures. Today’s travelers want insider experiences, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and real emotional resonance that draws them to pack their bags.
Sure, it takes planning to align the influencer’s personal brand with your property’s unique identity. And yes, the details can get tricky—from usage rights on visually stunning photos to ensuring disclaimers on gifted stays. But the rewards for doing it well are profound: an enthusiastic audience that sees your property as an unmissable destination. And behind each of these successes is a careful blend of data analytics, creative flair, and unwavering authenticity.
At Pickle, we love bridging that gap for hotels and resorts seeking to harness influencer power. Whether you are a boutique coastal hideaway or a major city hotel chain, we relish building campaigns that reflect your property’s essence and spark real curiosity in prospective guests. If you are hungry to explore these emerging influencer marketing trends or need tailored solutions for your brand, we are here to help you raise the bar—and transform digital visitors into real-life guests, set to explore every corner of your distinctive domain. Cheers to the future of travel marketing!