The power of influencer marketing for hotels is by no means a recent discovery. However, as Gen Z comes of age in a constantly connected world, how they interact with brands has shifted, and influencer marketing is shifting along with it.
Increasingly, influencer marketing is not just about visibility: it’s about direct revenue impact. As hotels face rising customer acquisition costs, influencer partnerships are evolving from pure brand awareness plays into performance-driven marketing campaigns. Hotels that shift their thinking of influencers as content creators to revenue-driving experience leaders will gain market share by inspiring the next generation of hotel guests to book stays.
According to Skift’s 2025 Megastrends (read Curacity's recap), “Influencers are the new power brokers in travel.” This concept becomes paramount because Gen Z (and even younger Millennial travelers) does not respond to cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all marketing. They crave authenticity, unique experiences, and, above all, personalization. It’s no longer about posting great content on social media but “providing a direct line to book the exact same experience they’re showing off on their Instagram feeds.” This cultural shift is like lightning in a bottle for hotels, offering a new way to create demand among potential guests through influencer marketing.
Hotels must acknowledge three key shifts driving influencer marketing today to remain relevant. First, influence is no longer a question of exposure but of action (it’s not just about selecting an influencer with many followers, but followers who will book travel). Second, travelers want to engage deeper: social content, real-time storytelling, and co-created experiences drive stronger connections. Third, data is reshaping the game. With the power to track bookings, engagement, and ROI, influencer marketing is no longer purely a creative tool but also a measurable revenue driver.
Read on to learn how to capture, engage, and convert the next generation of travelers by turning attention and influence into tangible results.
Hotels Have Only Scratched the Surface of Influencer Marketing
With 77% of travelers using social media (Expedia) to ignite their wanderlust, your next guest could be just a post away. Traditional advertising within the hospitality industry has long been focused on far-reaching appeal: glossy magazine advertisements, television commercials, and interstate highway billboards. Today's travelers, especially Gen Z, are more critical than ever. They don't want to feel like they're being sold to; they want to feel part of a story.
Influencer marketing enables hotels to stop merely showcasing their offerings and connect with new audiences of potential guests on a more personal and relatable level. In collaboration with influencers, people who have already established trust and rapport with their audience can tap into engaged communities and make their offerings feel less like ads and more like natural recommendations.
But it's not just about having an influencer post a photo or quick review. The real magic of influencer marketing happens when an influencer, a brand, and an audience unite profoundly and authentically. Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha are drawn to storytellers through YouTube vlogs, Instagram posts, and TikTok videos. They want content that is engaging yet meaningful, speaking to their values and desires.
Evolving Influencer Marketing for Younger Travelers
While influencer marketing has been a staple strategy of hospitality brands for a decade, the needs and expectations of younger generations are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Today's hotels must rethink how they implement their influencer marketing strategies and integrate the following innovations into their approach.
Greater Focus on Authenticity and Relatability
Younger travelers can spot inauthentic or overproduced content from a mile away. They relate more to influencers who are transparent, relatable, and authentic. Hotels should partner with those influencers who align with their values, be it sustainability, local culture, or unique guest experiences. A fine example is how Fairmont Hotels & Resorts collaborated with the YouTube channel Luxury Travel Expert to create a 20-minute video taking potential guests “behind the scenes” at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. There was no polished promotional content in it – in fact, they visited the kitchen and areas usually kept hidden from the public eye. Not only does this resonate perfectly in a campaign with an audience who believes in transparency and makes them feel like they are experiencing the property firsthand, but it also led to a 10% increase in revenue and a 2% boost in market share across Canada.
Influencers as Co-Creators
The days of pure influencer endorsements are gone. Younger generations expect a much deeper level of collaboration between influencers and brands. Influencers should do more than promote a hotel—they should help design experiences. Take Marriott, which collaborated with YouTube influencer Jeana Smith (@PrankVsPrank) to plan a surprise dance party for the guest who completed Marriott's one-millionth check-in on the app. One of the most impressive examples of co-creation from an influencer, the video of the experience went viral and has received almost four million views. She advocated Marriott and helped create an experience her audience would relate to.
Ponant Cruise’s collaboration with renowned travel and wildlife photographer Cindy Miller Hopkins demonstrates the role of an influencer in creating the immersive experiences travelers seek. Cindy led a 10-night "Inuit Spring of Ammassalik" voyage aboard the luxury icebreaker ship Le Commandant Charcot in Greenland. By partnering with the photographer, Ponant Cruise was able to tap into its audience of adventure and wildlife travelers who were ready to book a trip where they’d learn to capture photography alongside one of their favorite creators.
Data-Driven Campaigns and Multiplatform Strategy
Influencer marketing is not just about creativity; it's about data. Analytics help hotels track the effectiveness of campaigns and understand what resonates most with specific audience segments. For instance, if data shows that eco-conscious travelers engage more with a particular influencer, hotels can tailor their campaigns to emphasize sustainability more. This allows continuous optimization, which ensures that content is always on point with the audience's preference for measurable results.
Influencer marketing is truly powerful with a multiplatform strategy. Younger generations are active on several platforms, and content has to be integrated across channels: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and beyond. A multichannel approach will maximize engagement, enhance visibility, and deepen relationships with diverse audiences.
But social media should be just one piece of the puzzle - it's the distribution platform for the content. The real magic in extending reach and impact is where that content leads. Influencer content links to the blog, a travel guide, or even independent travel sites that house valuable insights with detailed recommendations well beyond the social media surface. Even the hotel's website can act as a hub for content by offering deeper engagement through blog posts or curated travel guides. From there, the content can live on social media and off-platform, extending its lifetime value.
Influencer marketing for hotels will continue to evolve, but for now, three core arguments are critical in driving results, including:
- Authenticity: Identify influencers who can produce content that resonates with the audience and is authentic to the hotel's values.
- Co-created Offers & Experiences: Beyond content creation, offer bespoke, shareable experiences that enhance the guest's journey.
- Multiplatform Approach: Amplify influencer content across multiple platforms; know where the content lives to drive home long-term impact.
In today's competitive landscape, influencer marketing is no longer a trend but a cornerstone of a hotel's strategy for attracting the younger, tech-savvy generations. Hotels can build meaningful, lasting connections with socially conscious guests and cultivate loyalty for years by embracing authenticity, creativity, data-driven insights, and a robust multiplatform approach.
With travel trends among millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha constantly changing, hotel marketing strategies should meet their increasingly desirous demands equally. Accomplished through authenticity, personalization, and a well-executed influencer marketing strategy, this would help hotels stay ahead of the curve and relevant in an ever-changing industry.
