Let’s think in terms of possibility, one fine day, you are scrolling through Instagram, and you come across a travel influencer who is enjoying their stay in a boutique hotel. You found their posts very captivating and genuine. So much so that you spontaneously want to present right there and then. Sipping your coffee by the pool, grooving on mellow music and getting completely immersed in the serene atmosphere.
Now, come back to the reality. After your imaginary trip, you are now hooked. Hooked with the idea that if the imagination is so beautiful, then how would you feel when you are physically there?
Now, without a hint of reality and practicality is literally in the dustbin, you are making plans to book a stay. This didn’t even seem like an advertisement; counterintuitively, it felt so natural, so surreal, so engaging, and absolutely inspiring.
Well, this is the strategy brands are using to target their audience. This strategy is - "Influencer Marketing for Travel Companies", a new tactic where travel companies are reimagining audience engagements.
The world has become increasingly interconnected, so much so that conventional forms of advertising have been replaced by real-life narratives told by travel influencers.
Influencer marketing for travel brands isn't just a passing fad, but it's becoming a major part of how we discover new places and experiences.
For instance, take Anunay Sood, one of the best male travel influencers and an inspiration for travel enthusiasts. He recently partnered with Emirates Airline where he promoted the airline’s services and encouraged people to travel to the US on Emirates to witness the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. His reel attracted 572,000 people and more than 50,000 engaged with the video.
Now, come along and see how travel agencies can use influencer marketing to make fantastic stories that could make people start packing bags and heading for exciting travel experiences.
Understanding Influencer Marketing In The Travel Industry
The tourism industry can be prosperous because it has the capacity to stimulate wanderlust through images to attract clients. A flood of high-definition travel photos and enthralling videos of travel experiences, wherein travel creators are busy exploring remote parts of the world and various cultural experiences, can be noted on almost every social media platform, specifically YouTube and Instagram.
These are the moments that give the viewers the desire to pick up their bags and travel for their adventures and an opportunity for brands to get their product in front of their target audience.
Travel content creators hold sway over their audience's purchasing decisions, preferences, and behaviours. When they share their travel experiences, they provide their followers with first-hand insights into various travel destinations, accommodations, activities, cuisines, and cultures. They narrate a more personal and credible story, thereby inducing trust and influencing travel decisions.
Therefore, the value of influencer marketing in the travel industry lies in the authenticity and relatability of these experiences. Travel creators allow audiences to virtually explore destinations, creating a sense of familiarity and a desire to experience them themselves. As a result, the line between advertising and personal recommendation blurs, making the promotion more effective.
With that said, understanding the unlimited potential of influencer marketing for travel brands means it’s time to face the next level of questions on how travel brands can leverage influencer marketing to achieve the highest ROI and create exceptional, meaningful connections with the audience.
So, let's delve further into this discussion, unravelling the answers to this question and much more.
Travel Brands Influencer Marketing Strategies
From aligning with the right travel influencer, travel brands can extend their reach, gain follower trust, and trigger travel desire despite the ongoing economic uncertainties which is a promising field for brands to invest in their marketing efforts.
In light of this, let's explore some of the influencer marketing strategies for travel brands:
1. Curating Visual Narratives with Sponsored Posts
The fascination of travel lies in the stunning images and videos of different places. It follows that the best travel influencers to partner with for travel-related brands are those who specialize in sharing stories through visual documentation. Therefore, sponsoring their posts will no doubt enhance the company’s message and at the same time arouse longing for such places among their audience.
For instance, Kritika Goel, one of the popular travel influencers who creates interesting travel reels with plenty of followers can help brands display the attractiveness and individuality of their destinations so that audiences’ curiosity is piqued hence they wish to go there.
2. Building Trust through Influencer Reviews
At the moment of digital information dominance, the use of online reviews and recommendations by consumers before making purchases, for example, travel plans is gradually increasing. This is because trust from followers of travel influencers is based on credibility, which comes from the level of truthfulness and individuality of their experiences which may significantly contribute towards the process.
A savvy hotel reviewer like Shromona Poddar can influence potential tourists' decisions through her well-documented reviews about different types of accommodation such as hotels as well as destinations or even travel gadgets including the Canon EOS R50 camera.
3. Fostering Authentic Engagement with Sponsored Trips
Travel brands can take influencer marketing a notch higher by sponsoring trips for influencers. This allows influencers to create and share authentic experiences (including accommodation, meals, sightseeing, and activities), making their followers feel a part of the journey.
This approach helps build a strong association between the brand and the influencer and also generates organic interest and engagement among the audience, subsequently influencing their travel choices.
4. Extending Reach through Travel Blogger Recommendations
People should not underestimate travel bloggers. Their accounts are comprehensive and they can provide thorough recommendations while giving vivid details of what happened during the trips. If a travel company is featured in any of these posts then the chances are high that they will get more exposure as well as gain trust among the audience.
Moreover, these blogs serve as long-term assets, continuously attracting readers over time and offering the potential for sustained benefits for the brand.
Even though these strategies may seem different from each other at first glance, they actually have a common goal – their aim is to build a strong connection between the brand and its audience in order to make it easier for the audience to begin their personal journeys.
Moving on from the previous section, we’re now going to focus on the next part of our blog where we will go deeper into what advantages are there with this new marketing technique specifically for travel companies.
The Benefits of Influencer Marketing for Travel Brands
Gone are the days when influencer marketing was considered a passing ploy; it is instead a proven tactic that accrues quantifiable outcomes especially in travel where personal experiences and recommendations play a big role.
1. Inspiring Destination Desirability
Travel content creators can evoke the feeling of desire to travel in their followers by showing scenes of real-life travel that are adventurous as well as interesting. They don’t just show the landmarks; they reveal secret places, local dishes, culture, and community. As a result, they can greatly increase the attractiveness of travel agencies’ destinations making followers book for similar experiences.
2. Highlighting Unique Company Offerings
From commitment to sustainability and community involvement to original itineraries or excellent service for customers, travel influencers have the skills that will enable a travel company to explain to the public how different it is from its competitors. Through their talent for telling stories they can convert these unique features into compelling content for increased attractiveness and relatability among possible clients.
3. Building Consumer Trust
Consumer trust is a very important thing in the travel industry. Travel influencers can greatly improve company trust through their followers who are faithful and engaged in their content. Influencers sharing their enthusiasm acts as a social proof which will make their audience trust and choose that company for their travel needs.
4. Creating Cost-Effective, High-Quality Content
Travel companies need a steady stream of high-quality, engaging content for their digital marketing efforts. This content can be repurposed across the company's marketing channels for added value.
5. Driving Direct Bookings
Influencers can spur their followers into immediate action with effective calls to action and incentives such as discount codes. This can result in direct bookings for travel companies, providing a measurable return on investment for travel influencer marketing campaigns.
6. Mitigating Seasonal Demand Fluctuations
Travel content creators can help companies balance the seasonal demand fluctuations inherent in the travel industry. By promoting off-peak travel experiences, influencers can encourage year-round tourism, helping companies maintain steady business throughout the year.
From inspiring travel to specific destinations to endorsing unique company services, these benefits focus on the huge potential of influencer marketing for travel companies.
In light of rising trends for sustainable and budget-friendly travel, it's noteworthy that a substantial segment still seeks luxury experiences. Not all are affluent, but often middle-aged individuals yearn for curated, risk-free adventures.
Given the increasingly common appeal of sustainable and budget-friendly travel, it is ironic that a substantial segment still seeks luxury experiences. Not all are affluent, but often, middle-aged individuals yearn for exclusive, controlled and safe experiences.
Luxury travel brands cater to such a discerning clientele, with influencers playing a critical role in crafting audience-specific content. Here, we briefly discuss how luxury travel brands utilize influencer marketing to attract and engage their target demographic.
How Travel Brands are using Influencer Marketing?
In the contemporary world, neglecting influencer marketing for your business means missing out on numerous opportunities. As post-pandemic individuals embrace "revenge travelling" to make up for the lost time, the desire to explore aligns perfectly with the growing influence of social media influencers.
In order to tap into this trend and reach their target audience, travel luxury brands are effectively utilizing travel influencer marketing campaigns. They partner with influencers to showcase their offerings thereby creating captivating content that will ultimately drive engagement and conversion among travellers who are looking for luxurious experiences.
1. Doing Promotions through Influencers
Influencer marketing for travel and tourism companies from a business perspective knows that Influencers are highly efficient when it comes to promoting brands.
Through the use of innovative and aesthetically pleasing videos, influencers have figured out how to draw in their fans and followers.
Travel brands have been employing this tactic successfully for high-level promotions by teaming up with not just one but numerous influencers.
- Recently, Larissa D'sa advertised the "Six Senses Fort Barwara," an opulent staycation destination in Rajasthan. And about 428 thousand viewers have watched that Instagram reel.
2. Through Discount Coupon Code Strategy
Everyone loves the words "discount" and "sale", don’t they? We feel compelled to take advantage of that as soon as we hear it. That is the tactic used by travel agencies to create a sense of urgency, which encourages influencers to share a coupon code for a discount with their fans.
This tactic is successful in the industry for both influencers and travel firms since followers feel fortunate to receive such a discount from their favourite influencers.
3. By Providing a Chance to Travel with Influencers
Travel industry influencer marketing companies are now getting creative with their approaches, they organise travel excursions with influencers where people can travel with influencers, this approach is more persuasive than others.
The experience of a trip is enhanced when people have the opportunity to travel with their favourite influencers. A few travellers might just travel for the sake of influencers.
4. By Boosting its Brand Image and Credibility
Among all the travel influencer marketing ideas, travel luxury brands must focus on brand and image building. A mediocre brand image is insufficient for any business to thrive. When it comes to travel, people primarily seek extraordinary experiences.
These days, people don’t buy services unless they read reviews to know more about the places they are going to visit. The emergence of influencer marketing is important to make sure that travel luxury brands establish a strong brand image, gain credibility, and give confidence to potential tourists that the experience of a lifetime awaits them.
5. By Getting Reviews by Luxury Travel Influencers
Today, influencers' advice is used more and more often in addition to friends' and family's suggestions while making travel decisions. Travel influencers are important in documenting their trips to different places and sharing their individual viewpoints and experiences with their audience. Many people now turn to their content as a helpful resource for knowledge and inspiration while planning their travels.
But this could be a travel brand influencer marketing strategy to ask influencers to review their places and services nicely to create a good image.
6. Using Luxury Travel Influencers as their Brand Model
One of the ways influencer marketing in the tourism industry is used by hiring influencers as brand models for their social media accounts. Influencers serve as brand ambassadors for luxury travel brands, enabling them to garner significant social media engagement.
This, in turn, is likely to improve the conversion of these engagements into actual sales. However, beyond just working with influencers, luxury travel brands can adopt other strategies. They may, therefore, consider different strategies and collaborations to expand their horizons and relevance in the market.
Case Study 1: The Influence of Bruised Passports on The Indian Travel Industry
In India’s travel industry, Bruised Passports, a favourite travel blog managed by the couple Savi and Vid, partnered with the Grand Indian Route, a travel agency, to exemplify the most successful influencer marketing campaign.
On Instagram, this partnership greatly enhanced The Grand Indian Route's popularity and reputation.
Savi and Vid have become very popular due to their sincere travelogues, useful insights and “infectious” eagerness to explore. Bruised Passports is a travelling and lifestyle blog with impressive images, inspirational narrations, and a vibrant audience enticed into seeing the world.
The Grand Indian Route identified the benefits of influencer marketing and decided to have an influencer marketing campaign with Bruised Passports on Instagram. This was aimed at illustrating some of the special experiences which The Grand Indian Route prides itself in, focusing more on the off-beat locations in India as well as immersive cultural experiences.
Savi and Vid set out on a two-week journey that The Grand Indian Route had planned, sharing their experiences on Instagram.
They took their followers along on their journey, sharing live updates, breathtaking pictures, and personal stories that authentically conveyed the richness of their travel experience.
Results?
The Instagram campaign was a resounding success. Bruised Passports' compelling content garnered thousands of likes, shares, and comments, creating a buzz around The Grand Indian Route and its offerings.
The campaign led to a significant increase in The Grand Indian Route's Instagram followers, website traffic, and, most importantly, direct bookings.
Case Study 2: The Luxury Odyssey x Travel Maestro
The alliance between India's leading luxury travel influencer, "The Luxury Odyssey" (TLO), and a luxury travel company, "Travel Maestro," provides a compelling case study of strategic influencer marketing, specifically on Instagram.
TLO became well-known on Instagram for its luxury lifestyle and travel content, and it has a following of more than a million users.
On the other hand, despite its high-quality services, Travel Maestro has been struggling with issues related to online visibility and user involvement.
In 2022, Travel Maestro decided to approach TLO about a strategic partnership because it hoped to use TLO’s extensive Instagram following as a means of enhancing its brand recognition and reaching out to prospects.
The collaborative effort involved a year-long campaign, which began with a trip to the exotic Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Every aspect of the trip—luxury resort stays, scuba diving experiences, private beach dinners, and more—was thoroughly documented and shared on TLO's Instagram account.
TLO shared various content in different formats, including images, videos, Instagram stories, and IGTV videos, showcasing Travel Maestro's perfect experiences and attention to detail.
Their collaboration not only produced positive effects on Instagram but also increased the visibility of the brand Travel Maestro. They observed that there was a 250% rise in engagement rates in their Instagram posts and a 60% rise in follower counts in the first three months of the partnership.
As a result of the partnership, TLO also achieved an increase of 30% in their follower count, while Travel Maestro saw a rise in brand visibility, with an equivalent percentage of direct booking requests rising by 300%.
This resulted in a considerable increase of 150% within six months after the beginning of the campaign. What is more essential is that the company for luxury trips Travel Maestro used the influencer’s endorsement combined with impressive testimonies from satisfied clients demonstrating how reliable they are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is crucial to carefully select relevant influencers for your luxury travel influencer marketing campaigns. Not every travel influencer will bring you the desired business outcomes.
Choosing the perfect influencer for your brand can be challenging, but that's where companies like Grynow come into play.
Grynow is the best influencer marketing company in India for travel brands with extensive expertise in the field. Grynow has successfully served over 1,500 brands, delivering customized services to our clients. With a network of over 300 million content creators and influencers, they have the resources to ensure impactful collaborations.
It is essential to recognize the shifting dynamics in consumer behaviour patterns and grasp the potential that influencer marketing holds.
Failing to understand and adapt to these changes may result in lagging behind in a competitive market. Stay ahead by embracing the power of influencer marketing and leveraging the expertise of professionals like Gyrnow.
