Influencers Magazine - Top Travel Influencers

richard branson | kiersten rich | damon and jo | louis cole | and more!

issue one FollowMeTo

shaping the social media world

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

www.theinuencersmagazine.com

Matthew Karsten

Issue 1

influencers MAGAZINE Publisher Kevin Rolfe Editor Siddharth Thaker Designers Mike Gibas Mark Askam Editorial Team Ana Strack Christopher O’Toole Rebecca Cohen Phil Blizzard Photography Mark Hakansson Ben Roberts Anjjelo San Buenaventura Business Development Chris Frost Sion Rapson Gina Reynolds Mike Sawicki Chris Frost

Production team Rasha Akar Nadeem George Denis Halilaj Tracy Rolfe Content management Marfee Ybañez Laarni Mendoza Suguitan Heizel Amora Juvilyn Camello Virendra Singh Bhanu Roel Christian Yambao Ai Ling Foong Trishia Delas Alas Kaycee Melon Jel Varca Athena Davadilla Online George Cooke

Influencers Magazine is published by World Luxury Media Momentum House, Lower Road, London, SE1 8SJ, United Kingdom T: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000 M: +44 (0) 7792965550 E: influencersmagazine@ worldluxurymedia.com www.worldluxurymedia.com The use of our Website and Digital Magazine are all subject to the following: All rights reserved. No part of Influencers Magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmied, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from world luxury daily. Whilst every effort has been made to check the information contained in this issue of world luxury daily magazine, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Influencers Magazine. Unless otherwise stated, the copyright of the individual contribution is that of the contributors.

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of images. We apologise in advance for any unintentional omissions and would be pleased to insert the appropriate acknowledgment in any subsequent publication.

© 2017 World Luxury Media

influencers one to ten

1

Brian Kelly Kelly figured out how to game the credit card points and frequent flyer mile systems while living life on the road as a recruiter for Morgan Stanley a decade ago. In 2010, he posted his first blog as The Points Guy, and began doling out tips, tricks and deals. By 2016, his following was such that Chase hired him to launch their newest card, paying upwards of seven figures for the campaign. The 34-year-old leads a team of 20 from his New York base.

instagram.com/thepointsguy facebook.com/thepointsguy twier.com/thepointsguy

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

2

Kiersten Rich At 22, having tried her hand at corporate wealth management, Rich booked a flight across the world on a whim. "I had saved very little money and I had no idea what I was doing," she said. She started blogging what turned into a grand tour of Australia, New Zealand, and southeast Asia and The Blonde Abroad was born. Today, her success is such that she'll co-host a blogging retreat in Bali this summer (cost: $4,200-$4,500).

instagram.com/theblondeabroad www.facebook.com/theblondeabroad twier.com/theblondeabroad

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers one to ten

3

Murad and Nataly Osmann The story has started on our first trip together to Barcelona. We were very young, very much in love, and absolutely carefree. We were strolling along sunny narrow streets, chatting, laughing, and, of course, taking lots of photos. All of a sudden Natasha looked away and pulled Murad forward, and that was the moment when he caught ‘that shot’!

Taking a fancy to each other, more and more, we were falling in love with travelling together.

It has become our little tradition to bring a ‘post card’ to our friends from every country we went together. An idea of the image in all of them was the same: a girl taking a young man’s hand and leading him to the most iconic places on Earth.

It didn’t take long for the overseas media to start talking about the project. And after some articles in Reddit, Daily Mail, and BuzzFeed the obsession took over the whole world.

instagram.com/followmeto/ facebook.com/followmeproject/

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers one to ten

3

Murad and Nataly Osmann We were on fire and work A LOT (really, really a lot!). Art Basel exhibitions and shows in Time Square; collaborations with Google, Macy’s, and Samsung; special projects with National Geographic and NBC Channel. Even found time to finish writing two books!

And here we go. One more very important step. This time we proudly present to you our new online project!

FollowMeTo.travel is our own map of the world.

We are sharing with you our stories about some of the world’s most unknown and unrecognizable landmarks and showing you how a travel to a destination you always dreamt about could become a reality. And it doesn’t matter what language you speak, or how much you earn.

With you in mind we created detailed guides tracing #FollowMeTo, adding to them a pinch of secret and very useful instructions from locals, and a dash of our own recommendations.

Only here you could literally ‘get inside our heads’ and find out all we think about different countries, airlines, hotels, how to pack your suitcase, and other little things, which when summed up create a whole big picture of a great journey.

instagram.com/followmeto/ facebook.com/followmeproject/ hps://followmeto.travel

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers one to ten

4

Eric Stoen Stoen had always traveled with his kids and shared photos with family and friends, but after winning Conde Nast Traveler's Photo of the Year award in 2012 he decided to move beyond his small circle.

He started blogging in early 2014; shortly thereafter, he left his healthcare career of 18 years to share his tips and reviews with his TravelBabbo community full-time.

instagram.com/travelbabbo facebook.com/travelbabbo twier.com/travelbabbo

5

Damon and Jo American Damon Dominique and Brazilian Jo Franco met as college freshmen and bonded over their linguistic abilities (they speak five languages apiece). When they began filming their travels, they were broke, crossing continents on a dime; today, the twentysomething YouTubers have scored partnerships with brands like Toyota, MTV and Greyhound on the back of their quirky, witty travelogues. instagram.com/damonandjo facebook.com/DamonAndJo twier.com/damonandjo

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

6

The Planet D Fortysomething husband and wife team Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil launched their website in 2007 when they took part in the 7,500-mile Tour d'Afrique cycling adventure from Cairo to Capetown. The Toronto film industry veterans soon began traveling all winter, when work was slow, blogging along the way. Today, they run a fully-fledged media company, partnering with the likes of American Express and Cathay Pacific. instagram.com/theplanetd facebook.com/ThePlanetD twier.com/theplanetd

7

Louis Cole British-born Cole started vlogging in 2012, when he took a road trip around the UK on a double-decker bus. Then a DJ, he worked with charities along the way, allowing at-risk youth access to a music studio on board.

In the years since, he's amassed almost 2 million subscribers on his 'Fun For Louis' YouTube travel channel and has partnered with Land Rover, Sony, and tourism brands worldwide, among others. instagram.com/funforlouis facebook.com/FunForLouis twier.com/funforlouis influencers MAGAZINE

influencers one to ten

8

Johnny Jet The travel guru (real name: John DiScala) used to loathe flying, and was even reluctant to leave his house at one point.

Once he conquered his fears, he became addicted to exploring the world and started accruing miles and points, starting a newsletter in 1995 and a website in 1999. The original travel influencer has partnered with brands including RitzCarlton, Marriott and Avis.

instagram.com/johnnyjet facebook.com/JohnnyJet747 twier.com/JohnnyJet

9

Kate McCulley The blogger known as 'Adventurous Kate' started her first site in 2002 as a college freshman, but launched its current incarnation in 2010. Her niche and area of expertise: female solo travel. Her fans trust her on topics ranging from the best accommodation in Paris to traveling with a sibling; she regularly collaborates with tourist boards in locations as diverse as Finland and Malta. instagram.com/adventurouskate facebook.com/AdventurousKate twier.com/adventurouskate

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

10

Jay Alvarrez This social media star has gained a massive following on Instagram and continues to attract a lot of people.

He is an extreme sports enthusiast and an active skydiver and surfer.

He travels all around the world with his girlfriend, Alexis Ren, who also has a big Instagram audience, and shares pictures and videos of their adventures together. His primary audience is girls in their late teens.

His most recent sponsors on Instagram include Islandview Hawai’i, Lokai, and Hyundai. instagram.com/jayalvarrez facebook.com/jayalvarrezofficial twier.com/jayalvarrez influencers MAGAZINE

Discover Abu Dhabi Discover Abu Dubai is available across • English Platforms: Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram • Languages: Weibo, VK, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Arabic • The platforms are updated daily with new and relevant content

discoverabudhabi.co facebook.com/Discover-Abu-Dhabi1474161929559535/ twitter.com/365AbuDhabi instagram.com/365abudhabi uk.pinterest.com/365abudhabi vk.com/abu_dhabi weibo.com/discoverabudhabi1

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

240,000

World Luxury News World Luxury Newsis available across • English Platforms: Google Plus, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter • Languages: Italian, Portuguese, German, Korean, Japanese, Weibo, VK, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French • The platforms are updated daily with new and relevant content

luxnews.co facebook.com/pages/World-LuxuryNews/847917261948711 twitter.com/worldluxurynews instagram.com/worldluxurynews uk.pinterest.com/ worldluxurynews

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

vk.com/worldluxurynews

247,000

weibo.com/worldluxurynews

social media trends Jessica Debrah Travelport.com

How social media has impacted the travel industry The infiltration of technology, especially social media, has turned us into an on-demand society. We now demand fast, simple and personal experiences and social media has allowed this. The impact of social media in all industries has been phenomenal, especially in the travel industry. It has changed the way people choose where they want to go, who they look to for recommendations and how we interact with brands without an intermediary.

Travel recommendations and decisions are easier due to social media We all love a holiday, but not everyone knows how to plan their perfect trip. With an abundance of choices and brands promoting their offers of where to travel, it is increasingly difficult to decide which source to trust. Thanks to the rise of travel bloggers and YouTubers, choosing a source is now simplified.

Why? Unlike brands, we trust bloggers recommendations as we deem them to have an impartial view and therefore we feel they are more honest. As a result, 70% of consumers are influenced by bloggers or digital influencers when making a purchase decision. With the rise of social video, YouTube is

now the second largest search engine after Google. People spend on average 15-25 minutes per day on this channel, so no wonder consumers would turn to YouTube when making decisions on where to travel. Influencer marketing generates twice as many sales than paid advertising and these customers have a 37% higher retention rate. Not surprisingly brands work with major travel bloggers and digital influencers such as Nomadic Matt and Fun for Louis.

However, it isn’t only bloggers who are influential. Our own personal networks on social media can have a major impact on our purchase decisions. According to AD week, 52% of Facebook users were influenced by their friends’ holiday photos.

Consumers have greater control, thanks to social media Social media has allowed the consumer to hold power over brands and is frequently utilized as a customer service channel. With brands utilizing channels such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate to their end users directly, it has removed the need for intermediaries which makes communication faster and at times more effective. Utilizing social

media as a customer service channel has significant benefits, not only does it create a more personal brand experience but it also allows for an open and transparent dialogue between the brand and customer. For example, Heathrow airport has an award winning Twitter account. They cleverly create and curate user-generated content from their customers. In addition, the company regularly and efficiently answers customer queries within 15 minutes and makes sure to add a personal and polite touch when responding. All of this creates a relationship with their audience.

So what does the future hold for social media in the travel industry...

Overall, it is evident that social media is very powerful within the travel industry. However, we cannot conclusively determine the overall effect social will have on the travel industry. It is increasingly evident that as a brand, social media must be used in an effective way to communicate with your audience in order to create deeper and meaningful connections and strong brand presence.

AccorDing to AD week, 52% of fAcebook users were influenceD by their frienDs’ holiDAy photos.

BLOGGER FUN FOR LOUIS

influencers MAGAZINE

social media trends kristen Matthews Convince&convert.com

How to match the perfect travel influencers to your brand

Let’s say your product is ideal for travel—hiking boots, maybe, or one of those folding toothbrushes, a pair of awesome hiking pants, or the most durable suitcase in the world.

You want everyone to see it in action, watch it hit the road, and get honest and genuine feedback from the influencers using and showcasing it.

In short, you need travel influencers.

Who better to tell your brand’s story than an influential traveling power couple who can write, take great photos, and showcase that toothbrush to thousands of followers that have grown to trust them? Good news: These people do exist.

Travel Bloggers With Lots to Share

Choosing Products for Authentic Fit

Meet Hannah and Adam from gettingstamped.com, two thirtysomethings that busted out of the corporate world and decided to travel the globe, all while writing about and photographing everything they see, do, and use.

Over 100,000 people see where they go, what they pack, and how they use it every day.

As with all types of influencer marketing, being authentic and complementary to your brand are key components. If it isn’t something your audience would use, forget it. Unless a blogger is a true brand fan, it’s not a post that would do your brand any good, anyways. Always use authentic brand fits as your first filter when vetting.

If you’re a smart marketer, you’re probably craving a chance to showcase your brand in such an authentic and organic experience.

We recently talked to Adam of Getting Stamped, and he told us exactly how to do it.

Adam says, “Brand and blog mismatches are one of the biggest causes of failure with influencer campaigns. Many bloggers don’t see the downsides and take the projects anyways. This can cause blogs to lose credibility and brands to waste marketing dollars. It’s a lose/lose.” (highlight to tweet)

“we AlwAys try to give soMe reAl inspirAtion on why soMeone woulD wAnt or neeD A proDuct by tAlking About it in context or weAring/using it in soMe greAt photos.”

HANNAH FROM GETTINGSTAMPED.COM

Adam from gettingstamped.com

In short, don’t stretch. The blogger will feel uncomfortable trying to include the product, and the audience will sniff that out. If another influencer can better integrate your product into their lifestyle, it’s a better choice—even if they have fewer followers!

Adam explains it like this: “We always try to give some real inspiration on why someone would want or need a product by talking about it in context or wearing/using it in some great photos.”

Following that train of thought, it makes sense to have, say, your new toothbrush in a list of must-haves, rather than an individual review.

Featuring one item on its own can seem a bit forced. If you include it in a list, or a kit of travel essentials, it has context, and its utility is much more obvious—and it will almost certainly get more clicks. If you want interactive feedback and engagement with the consumer, it’s sometimes best to be a part of one of these lists.

Really getting to know the influencers is one of the more overlooked aspects of this type of marketing. Notice on their blog that they’re heading to the Maldives?

Maybe hold off on shipping them the flannel shirts, and send the bikinis instead; it’s much more likely to be appreciated and, most importantly, used and reviewed.

Relationship Building

One of Adam’s favorite campaigns did just that.

“If I had to pick just one memorable successful project, it would probably be the ‘7-day Stretch‘ Campaign with PrAna. We had to wear their pants for seven days and take Instagram pictures and share our experience.

We took the pants on a road trip full of hiking and outdoor activities that paired well with the brand and our style. It felt natural and unforced, and we got plenty of great shots and a bunch of comments on the clothing in the pictures and posts.”

Likewise, thinking through their travel plans and sending something versatile that is likely to be used every day would make that campaign that much more effective.

influencers MAGAZINE

World Economic News World Economic News Social is available across: • English Platforms: Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook • Languages: Weibo, VK, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Hindi, Arabic, Japanese, Korean • The platforms are updated daily with new and relevant content

worldeconomicnews.social facebook.com/World-Economic-Forum-Social1663390230585814/timeline twitter.com/EconomicNews365 instagram.com/economicnews365 pinterest.wef.social vk.com/economicnewssocial weibo.com/5823094655/ profile?topnav=1&wvr=6&is_all=1

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

66,000

STARS

Social Media Stars Social Media Stars is across 26 platforms: • English Platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus, We Heart It, Tumblr, Flickr, Taringa, Whatsapp, WeChat, Viber, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit, Stumbleupon • Language Platforms: VK, Weibo, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Hindi • The platforms are updated daily with news about social media, celebrity social media posts and social media influencers • A new ‘Influencer of the Week’ post will be done on the site every week

worldsocialmedia.directory

Plus: • linkedin.com/company beta/22310783/ • reddit.com/r/ socialmediastars/ • weheartit.com/ SocialMediaStars • tumbleupon.com/ stumbler/ socialmediastars • flickr.com/people/ socialmediastars • taringa.net/ SocialMediaStars • whatsapp.com • web.wechat.com • snapchat.com

facebook.com/pages/Social-MediaStars/1257024624314518?ref=ts&fref=ts twitter.com/365SMSTARS instagram.com/365socialmediastars uk.pinterest.com/ socialmediastars vk.com/public137303963 weibo.com/socialmediaawards

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

73,600

influencers eleven to twenty

11

Foster Huntington After quitting his job as a designer for Ralph Lauren in 2011, Foster has travelled all over the country with his VW van, publishing numerous photo books and posting pictures and videos. In 2014, he decided that his nomadic life was enough and it was time to settle… in a treehouse!

He documented the building process of “The Cinder Cone” and posted pictures and videos of it on Instagram and even wrote a book about it.

His Instagram feed is filled with beautiful scenic shots and his treehouse, that includes a hot tub and a skateboarding rink. He also shares his favorite books and camera equipments.

instagram.com/fosterhunting facebook.com/foster.huntington twier.com/fosterhunting

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

12

Chris Burkard Chris travels all around the world and takes amazing, awe-inspiring pictures that look like they could be your computer’s preset wallpapers. He has worked on global campaigns with Fortune 500 brands, given a TED talk, developed specialty product lines, held workshops to teach photography, and published many books. He has won many awards, including most recently the PMDA Visionary Photography Award in 2016. Most recently on his Instagram, he has posted pictures of Denali National Park, the Westords of Iceland and promoted the sailboats that tour that region as well, and the Yellowstone National Park. instagram.com/chrisburkard facebook.com/ChrisBurkardPhotography twier.com/chrisburkard

13

Alex Strohl Alex is a Madrid born, French photographer, who attempts to capture the most authentic moments of nature.

His Instagram feed is filled with calm, serene pictures that makes you appreciate nature. He lives in Whitefish, Montana, but travels on the road with his wife Andrea Dabene, who also has a great Instagram following, to the farthest places in the world. He has been featured in many prestigious publications such as Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Gentleman’s Journal and has many noteworthy clients like Apple, Canon, and Microsoft. instagram.com/alexstrohl facebook.com/alexstrohl twier.com/alexstrohl

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers eleven to twenty

14

Jared Chambers Jared is an LA-based photographer who documents his travels with pictures of people, nature, and cars. His pictures are simplistic and minimal but very aesthetic and beautiful and thus have attracted a lot of people to follow him on Instagram.

Many young people seem to like his approach as his primary audience is people from ages 17 to 24. He has worked with companies such as Lincoln Motor Company, iGNANT, and Front Runner Outfitters.

instagram.com/jaredchambers twier.com/jaredchambers

15

Zach Glassman Zach is a passionate explorer and shares his experiences with authentic and interesting pictures on his Instagram. All his pictures are very different and tell a story of their own. He is the founder of the Passion Passport, which is an organization of travelers and storytellers that seek to inspire people to travel. He has traveled to Lord Howe Island in New South Wales; Matera, Italy; Chengdu, China; and many more!

.instagram.com/zachspassport twier.com/zachspassport

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

16

Matthew Karsten Matthew is a full-time adventure travel blogger and photographer who has been traveling and exploring the world for over 5 years, after leaving his job and close friends and family when he was 29.

He takes incredible pictures of people, animals, buildings, and scenic views to share his journey with the world. His primary audience is people in their thirties who share his taste for medieval buildings, exotic animals, and beautiful landscape. instagram.com/expertvagabond facebook.com/ExpertVagabond twiî…&#x;er.com/ExpertVagabond

inuencers MAGAZINE

St. Petersburg is recognised as one of the largest economic, cultural and scientiďŹ c centers of Russia, Europe and the whole world. MagniďŹ cent architectural ensembles, beautiful courtyards, splendid parks, unique museums.

| 26 |

Discover Saint Petersburg

www.discoversaintpetersburg.co

influencers eleven to twenty

17

Eelco Roos Eelco is a Dutch photographer that travels to many places in the world and takes portraits of animals, as well as grandiose scenic shots. His feed is filled with pictures from all over the world including Uganda, Canada, and the United States. And while his captions are brief, they have a lot to say and give a glimpse into his witty personality. One of his most liked picture is a shot of the Boreal Prairies and it is absolutely stunning. instagram.com/croyable facebook.com/OnceinaLifetimeHD twier.com/eelcoroos

18

Kirsten Alana Kirsten is a professional photographer that specializes in travel and lifestyle. She lives in New York City and when she is not traveling, she explores and takes pictures of her home city. She has tested camera and smartphone technology for Microsoft, Google, Nokia, Sony, Lensbaby, and Leica, and continues to be an ideal influencer for many brands due to her passion and reputation.

instagram.com/kirstenalana facebook.com/kirstenalanatravels twier.com/KirstenAlana

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

19

Gary Arndt After selling his house in 2007, Gary has been traveling, blogging, and photographing all around the world in over 180 countries. He is a self taught travel photographer who was named Travel Photographer of the Year by both the Society of American Travel Writers and the North American Travel Journalists Association. He mostly works with travel agencies such as G Adventures, Adventure Travel Trade Association, and most recently, TravelAlaska. instagram.com/everythingeverywhere .facebook.com/EverythingEverywhere twier.com/EverywhereTrip

20

Steffi Crivellaro A travel photographer who has produced content for clients ranging from Benefit to Air BnB and Mashable, Steffi is probably best known for her stunning photos on Instagram. With over 75,000 followers, she has built herself a power account and is recognised as a powerful influencer on UK travel.

instagram.com/steffi_daydreame facebook.com/steffidaydreamerpage twier.com/stef_daydreamer

influencers MAGAZINE

11 caDogan garDens https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=RMqY8BcUFKD

The WesTbury hoTel https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=3Ss8F1WHP11

san Domenico house hoTel https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=GUYm5VkJTBa

grosvenor house – a JW marrioTT hoTel https://my.matterport.com/show/?m= odJDqFnYXGM

Fraser TWo beDroom suiTes KensingTon https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=ErN2nW1NfAW

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influencers twenty-one to thirty

21

Elon Musk South African born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Musk wants to save our planet; he wants to send citizens into space, to form a colony on Mars; he wants to make money while doing these things; and he wants us all to know about it. He is the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films starring Robert Downey Junior.

He started a pair of huge dot-com successes, including PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk was forced out as CEO and so began his lost years in which he decided to go it alone and baffled friends by investing his fortune in rockets and electric cars. Meanwhile Musk’s marriage disintegrated as his technological obsessions took over his life. instagram.com/elonmusk twier.com/elonmusk

22

Alex Hunter 2016 has been a huge year for Alex, winning numerous awards thanks to his breathtakingly successful YouTube channel Attache Travel. This is most definitely one to watch in 2017, as he will undoubtedly soon by gracing our televisions.

instagram.com/cubedweller twier.com/cubedweller

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

23

Paul Johnson Paul brought the world the illustrious blog called A Luxury Travel Blog, which gains over 150,000 unique visitors per month.

The blog has gone on to win numerous awards and is often considered to be in the top 10 travel blogs in the world.

instagram.com/paulhjohnson facebook.com/luxurytravel twiî…&#x;er.com/luxury__travel

inuencers MAGAZINE

influencers twenty-one to thirty

24

Jack and Finn Harries Twin brothers Jack and Finn were taking a gap year back in 2012 and wanted to record all of their favourite moments, saving it to their YouTube channel.

They certainly didn’t expect such an enthusiastic and addicted audience. The channel now has over 4 million subscribers, while their videos have been watched over 190 million times, not bad for a couple of guys taking a break before University!

instagram.com/finnharries twier.com/jackharries

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

25

William Gray World renowned both for his writing and for his photography, William has released a number of books and was also the presenter on the BBC show Holiday. His work has been featured almost everywhere, including the Guardian, National Geographic and The Times. facebook.com/william.gray twier.com/William_D_Gray

26

Mark Hodson Mark is the co-founder of 101 Holidays and has written for a number of other publications, including the FT and the Telegraph. instagram.com/HuffPost facebook.com/101holidays 101holidays.co.uk/twier-comp/

27

Jini Reddy If you’re into nature and responsible travel then Jini Reddy is your go-to guide. She released a book in October, titled Wild Times, which offers her input on how to experience the natural beauty we have here in the UK. twier.com/@Jini_Reddy influencers MAGAZINE

Rwanda has long been seen as the premiere destination for gorilla tracking, but today more than ever there are dozens of reasons to extend your stay, starting with the 13 species of primates and East Africa’s only canopy walk, all to be found in the dense rainforests of Nyungwe Forest National Park. Still, it’s hardly a surprise that Rwanda developed its reputation for Gorillas—experts estimate that there are only 780 mountain gorillas still in existence anywhere on earth, and one third of these majestic creatures can be found in Volcanoes National Park alone. With the recent reintroduction of lions to Akagera National Park in the east, Rwanda has truly come into its own as a full-fledged safari destination, and to top it all off, it’s not even a day’s drive between each of these world-class attractions.

| 38 |

Discover Rwanda

www.discoverrwanda.co

influencers twenty-one to thirty

28

Nigel Tisdall If you’ve found yourself reading an article on the Telegraph travel section, there is a fair chance you have been reading an article by this Eloquent writer. It all started for Nigel with a trip to Hong Kong in 1985 and since then he has been addicted to the travel industry. facebook.com/TELEGRAPH.CO.UK twier.com/telegraphnews

29

Brian Jackman One of the most decorated travel writers Britain has to offer, Brian has been a key travel influencer for over 30 years, having won travel writer of the year back in 1982. Whether it’s the BBC wildlife magazine or Travel Africa, he is an ever-present within travel publications. What draws me to Brian is his constant battle to protect threatened wildlife in Africa. info@brian-jackman.co.uk

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

30

Philip Bloom Philip has become famous for his filmmaking, often with a travel focus, producing content for the likes of the BBC, CNN, ITV, Canon, Sky, and the list goes on. An influencer both for travellers and for budding videographers, Philip’s blog receives over a million visitors per month. He now has over 130,000 followers on Twitter and has 125,000 subscribers on YouTube.

instagram.com/philipbloom facebook.com/philipbloom twier.com/PhilipBloom

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers thirty-one to forty

31

The Travel Mob Originally founded by Urban Travel Blog, The Travel Mob are an umbrella collective of some of the most influential travel bloggers in the world, mostly based in the UK, but with contacts around Europe and North America as well. If you’re looking for a ready-made team to take part in press trips or to undertake content and social media campaigns for your brand or destination, get in contact – or check the website for examples of our work. We’ve worked with Visit Ljubljana, Valencia Tourism and the Spanish Tourist Board (in Menorca, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia and Murcia) typically reaching over a million people per campaign, and in doing so delivering between 100,000250,000 USD of advertising value for a fraction of the cost.

facebook.com/TheTravelMob/ twier.com/SimonCalder

32

Simon Calder If you work in the travel industry then you’ve undoubtedly heard his name before. Simon has been featured on numerous BBC shows over the past decade, while he is currently the senior travel editor at The Independent, having started with the newspaper back in 1994. facebook.com/simon.calder.58 twier.com/SimonCalder

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Richard Branson An inventor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, adventure seeker… there aren’t enough words to describe this man. Having setup Virgin Records back in 1972, his empire grows with every passing day, with an estimated net worth of 4.25 billion pounds. We’re now all waiting for the new fast flights from London to New York, which should only take three and a half hours.

instagram.com/richardbranson/ facebook.com/RichardBranson/ twier.com/richardbranson influencers MAGAZINE

If you’re considering a summer holiday packed with family fun, look no further than Dubai. The city is sprinkled with a host of family-friendly activities and places to see to keep you busy all day long. From outdoor adventures to multiple theme parks and dining options, the choice and variety of experiences makes Dubai the best holiday destination for families.

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Discover Dubai

www.discoverdubai.co

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David Attenborough An absolute national treasure, David Attenborough’s BBC series of Planet Earth 2 has kept audiences eyes glued to the screen. The Iguana vs snake scene is now recognised as one of the greatest moments in TV history and went viral around the world. His voice is one of the most recognised in the world and he creates travel lust like no other.

instagram.com/bbcearth facebook.com/bbcearth twier.com/bbcearth

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Selena and Jacob According to Instagram, the couple that travels together, stays together. Los Angeles natives, Selena and Jacob, left their lives in California to travel and document their exotic getaways. We'll warn you, checking out their feed will likely result in some major travel envy.

instagram.com/finduslost facebook.com/finduslost twier.com/finduslost

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Loïc Lagarde Loic Lagarde’s photography is otherworldly, literally. His photography skills truly shine in his collection of gorgeous images from his explorations all over the world– and you can follow each and every one of them, from Paris to Patagonia, via his account. instagram.com/loic80l facebook.com/loiclagardephoto

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Jack Morris It’s hard not to get lost in Jack Morris’ feed of impressive photos from around the globe. He’s currently living in Bali but spends most of his time photographing and exploring the world with his other half, @gypsea_lust, and their feeds are the definition of #relationshipgoals and #travelgoals. instagram.com/doyoutravel facebook.com/doyoutravelphoto twier.com/doyoutravel

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Lauren Bullen From the sand dunes in Abu Dabi to ethereal ocean views in Greece, Lauren Bullen’s photos make us wanting to book our trip to wherever she is immediately–and look as good in the bikinis she sports while doing it. instagram.com/gypsea_lust

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Kelly Lack Kelly Lack, an alum at some of the top lifestyle companies such as Martha Stewart, One King's Lane, and Spot, delights her Instagram followers with beautifully curated images of her favorite spots (pun not intended) from her latest journeys. When you're traveling to California, hit up her Instagram account for hidden gems–she's based in San Francisco and knows the best in the West. instagram.com/kellyalack/

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Gigi Hopkins Gigi Hopkins' feed is a free city guide to the places we want to go to now. She left her corporate job to live life on the road, and is sharing her favorite finds to her loyal audience. From the Catskills in Upstate New York to Orpheus Island in Australia, you can trust her to guide you to all of the hottest spots and hidden gems–especially when she's chatting about her hometown of Melbourne, or contributing her best tips to BAZAAR.com as one of our contributing travel editors..

instagram.com/_itsbeautifulhere twier.com/sobeautifulhere influencers MAGAZINE

social media trends Andy black The Drum Network

rules of engagement: the modern day travel influencer

Travel bloggers have fast become more influential than review websites for those looking to escape to dreamy beaches and buzzing cities. The Drum Network asked some of our members and some travel industry marketers: how can marketers tap into the vast array of high profile bloggers without discrediting their authenticity with sponsored content?

Will Weeks head of content, Contiki Credibility is based on how bloggers engage with and are perceived by their audiences, so how marketers research and evaluate during outreach is vital. You need to ask yourself, does your product legitimately fit within their brand and travel behaviour, and how does their audience trust and engage

with branded content? When it comes to money and credibility, you have to trust your product. Pay for the experience, don’t pay for the endorsement. We’re increasingly seeing value in the advocacy driven by micro-influencers, particularly their impact across dark social. It’s a great, scalable way to combine influence and authenticity.

the first place. If customers are at the heart of what you do then you will ascertain the real value to them of consuming that content before you associate your brand with it. If the content is valuable, easy to consume and most importantly ‘personally relevant’ then most customers probably couldn’t care less whether it’s sponsored or not.

Brad Smith commercial director, Sagiarius

Michaela MacIntyre business development director, Gravity Thinking

Marketers need to ask one simple question regarding any content they choose to tap into. How does this content actually benefit my audience? Put simply if the content provides no real value or benefit or feels like irrelevant sponsored content you risk losing the credible reputation, trust and respect that you no doubt worked hard to gain in

Controversially, I don’t think the introduction of disclosure by influencers is a problem. It really shouldn’t be, if you’re doing influencer marketing right. An influencer worth their salt has painstakingly built an audience through authenticity and wouldn’t dream of promoting a brand (travel or otherwise) that they don’t like.

“MArketers neeD to Ask one siMple question regArDing Any content they choose to tAp into. how Does this content ActuAlly benefit My AuDience?”

PAUL JOHNSON A LUXURY TRAVEL BLOG

Brad Smith of Sagittarius

The good ones know that if they do this, they’ll damage their ability to earn in the long run. So, even if you are paying for the relationship, you can bet that if they’ve agreed to work with you, they genuinely like your product.

Most good influencers will begin their relationship with you with an honest discussion (especially if they’ve not heard of you before) stating that they might choose to not work with you once they’ve reviewed your brand and objectives.

Stop worrying about getting around disclosure, marketers. Rather, spend more time up front finding influencers who have genuine affinity with what your brand stands for.

Bob D’Mello head of campaigns, Roast I’d say there are two things key to

strong influencer marketing in the travel vertical. It’s important to identify and work with influencers relevant to your brand – finding the right fit is half the battle. Identify creative and skillful influencers who reflect your brand, rather than concentrating on the size of their following or engagement numbers.

And when working with influencers in the past, the more collaborative the approach, the more likely you are to see genuine, authentic content that reflects not just how you see your brand, but how real people see it, use it or interact with it.

Steve Wilkins head of content strategy, BWP Group The key for marketers is to build relationships with bloggers and identify key messages early on. At BWP Group, we find high profile bloggers via a tried and tested social

media outreach programme and then meet with them face to face or through video conference calls to share our content strategy, and look for possibilities that will provide a win-win partnership. This approach enables us to identify if the blogger will be able to utilise their everyday experience with the products the brand sells or services they offer and provide authentic and engaging content that will resonate with the brands audience.

As somewhat of a self-confessed foodie who loves nothing better to cook and more importantly eat, in my spare time I am always looking for inspiration for new dishes from far and wide which is why my favourite travel bloggers are the Travel Eaters, JB and Renée, who travel the globe and document the vast array of different food and delicacies as they do it.

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Tala Byrne senior channel manager, Dog Great travel blogs are built on being aspirational, or useful to their audience (or sometimes both). To tap into the power of travel bloggers without it becoming forced, marketers should give the blogger freedom to create content, which still resonates with audiences in this way. Insisting on ‘must use’ taglines, imagery or talking points to be used in the content aren’t a good idea – authentic content needs to represent that blogger’s voice and their take on the brand or product.

Ambassador partnerships with just a few bloggers are becoming more prominent and are often the best way to achieve this. My favourite travel blogger would have to be The Blonde Abroad. Not only does she have a killer Instagram feed full of colourful, aspirational shots, but her website itself has some great information – she adds value to aspiring travellers with detailed destination guides accessed via an interactive map and travel tips from solo travelling to exploring on a budget. Her partnerships with brands are always relevant to her readers and fit her personal brand and style as well, which is key.

Chris Nurko global chairman, FutureBrand Paid-for reviews, blogs and marketing, like travel agents, are seen as useful but biased. Holiday researchers want to hear from visitors like them, who paid the same and were treated the same, not given the special attention of a reviewer. Interesting to note, that on sites such as TripAdvisor and its specialist sister Cruise Critic, more than 80% of reviews are positive. In a sector all about creating joy and memories, this underscores the importance people place on sharing

the ‘good news’ of where they have been and enjoyed themselves. We all value having our ‘expertise’ rewarded, and are happy to share the ‘secrets’ of a good holiday.

Rich Wand head of UX and planning Hugo & Cat As people start to dream about their next trip, destination marketing organisations need to raise their game in how they inspire and lure these potential visitors.

This needs a shift from traditional marketing of idealised images and controlled narrative. Travel bloggers have managed to bottle the desired ‘realness’ in a way that inspires and captivates. Hugo & Cat clients are already seeing the value in collaborating with influential bloggers, but understand the terms of engagement ensures what creates the connection with bloggers’ audiences isn’t compromised. Vis-a-vis, clients need to be a little bit brave; give bloggers the freedom to tell their stories to their audience without being censored or filtered. The moment their authenticity strays, the credibility on both fronts is lost.

Done well, this is proven to be a potent tool for engaging the motivations and emotional needs of travellers.

Carolyn Spencer Brown editor, Cruise Critic Reviews by travellers are vital and carry more weight than paid-for or paid-by bloggers because the reviews are honest, real and often are related to the aspects of travel that the ‘average person’ wants to know. The details and things to consider that an experienced traveller such as a blogger might take for granted.

Billy Leonard senior account executive, Harvest Digital They key to tapping into the network that travel bloggers have is realising why travel bloggers are so influential. People want to romanticise and realise the trips that we see travel bloggers experience. Consumers want to see personalised, authentic reviews from people they can trust – not heavily branded content. Sending travel bloggers on holiday is an easy way to get them to give unbiased reviews. Don’t try and control the messaging, remember that making sure that you still retain authenticity is the key here. And avoid branded hashtags. Nothing screams #ad more than a branded hashtag.

One of my favourite travel bloggers is Emily Luxton. I’ve worked with her previously and I really admire her work ethic and integrity. I encounter so many bloggers that are only in it for the money, so I really admire that about her. Plus her Instagram is literally #travelgoals.

Cat Birch marketing manager, Koozai Influencer marketing has fast become a vitally important strategy within the marketing mix for every industry, but especially so in travel.

Blogging, vlogging and social influencing is now an established career and we need to get over the fear of paying for these services.

Work with bloggers rather than buying links. Collaborate as you would with a freelancer, create relevant content and campaigns and only work with influencers who naturally fit with your brand. The more natural and fitting the partnership, the less focus there is on sponsoring.

JACK MORRIS DO YOU TRAVEL

“trAvel bloggers hAve MAnAgeD to bottle the DesireD ‘reAlness’ in A wAy thAt inspires AnD cAptivAtes.”

Rich Wand of Hugo & Cat

influencers MAGAZINE

social media trends TARA MILK TEA

Kris Boorman digital marketing executive, Sagiarius

Theresa Santos account director Immediate Future

Grant Owens chief strategy officer Critical Mass

I’ve seen content creators give their brutally honest thoughts on sponsored content many times, so when a positive review is given, their audience knows that it’s their genuine opinion. I believe that this trust between content creators and their audience is so strong that discrediting authenticity is not a concern. Instead, marketers need to understand that bloggers and YouTubers must always be authentic to keep their audience, ensure that the risk of an online thrashing is kept minimal by carefully assessing their chosen content creator’s suitability, and make sure their service offerings are airtight.

Travel bloggers are ten-a-penny, but the ones with cut through are those who look at the world from a different angle – they show places in a way that brands simply can’t.

Choose bloggers who fit with your audience and have a slightly quirky take on travel, then let them put their own spin on the content they produce for you. By slackening the reins on creative control, you’ll ensure the blogger’s contribution is authentic and in the process, they’ll lend some of their cachet to your own brand.

For the Marriott Hotels site, the brand opted for a ‘quality over quantity’ strategy. Instead of publishing content about hotel properties or travel destinations at great frequency, it is seeking out high-minded topics (eg ‘entrepreneurship’ and ‘curiosity’) penned by well-known authors and cultural authorities. The end product is a high-quality, quarterly digital magazine that lives on the Marriott site. The focus on special, quarterly topics, rather than traditional brand-promotion, ensures that both the authors and brand retain their authenticity, which is vital for connecting with the core audience.

My favourite travel blog is more of an Instagram account – I love @Paperboyo’s take on the world – he transforms famous views and landmarks into something completely different and makes me want to visit all of them in the process.

“on’t look At it As A ‘tApping into’ exercise. look At it As An invitAtion for genuine criticisM AnD/or prAise.”

Loïc LEGARDE

Robert Philbin of Latitude Digital

Joanna Arnold chief executive officer Vuelio The ‘authentic’ and ‘relatable’ image that has made superstars of bloggers and other digital influencers makes it little surprise that most will react violently against anything that threatens that image.

This doesn’t necessarily preclude ‘sponsored content’, provided no one’s insisting it appears in disguise, but a better approach (certainly for the influencer) involves some level of co-creation. Co-creation is a broad church.

Some influencers are happy to take direction, others will run from any pre or proscription, while most will be willing to negotiate finer points within a framework of mutually beneficial agreed outcomes. When brands identify the influencers they want to work with, considerations should be as much about how they work as what they produce.

And of course, brands need to understand the risks – even when remunerated, bloggers can and will describe any experience, no matter how purportedly luxurious, just as they find it. My favourite travel blog is ‘A Luxury Travel Blog,’ there is a plethora of content and has a great balance of captivating copy and images.

Robert Philbin head of creative Latitude Digital Don’t look at it as a ‘tapping into’ exercise. Look at it as an invitation for genuine criticism and/or praise.

Offer a free stay at your hotel.

Quality bloggers will Instagram their experience. You don’t need to force it as a condition of the agreement.

They might even write a blog, produce a video, record a podcast.

It’s their prerogative. If your hotel is excellent, their word-of-mouth recommendations alone are going to cover the cost. If it isn’t, their criticism might be just as valuable,

too. If they ask for payment, don’t be offended. This is their life, not a hobby.

Nico Sarti head of digital strategy, TVC Group Be clear: outline your goals from the start and be open about the reasons why you are connecting with bloggers to support your brand message. Collaborate first: treat their platforms as a playground, you are on their turf, so to a certain extent you need to follow their rules.

You are trying to promote your brand as much as they are trying to make a living out of this. It has to be a fair exchange where they create and the advertiser curates.

Exclusivity: allow these individuals to have access to exclusive experiences to make sure their content stands out, it’s newsworthy and breaks through the noise of common travel reviews.

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World Ski News is where you can ďŹ nd the latest and most up to date content on skiing around the globe. Available through the google+ platform, content is added every day from around the world with strong imagery and video wherever possible. News on the best places to ski, the best places to stay, the races, the stars and the ever changing and developing equipment can all be found in an easily digestible format.

www.worldskinews.co

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Beautiful Destinations A hub of drop-dead amazing travel photos is what's garnered this key Instagram influencer community almost 9 million followers–and that's just for this account. Beautiful Destinations is one of seven accounts that chronicle the worlds most beautiful things, from hotels to apparel to cuisine– and puts them all at your fingertips to lust over. instagram.com/beautifuldestinations/ facebook.com/BeautifulDestinations/ twier.com/beautifuldestinations

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Tara Milk Tea Aside from being the master of food (especially sweets!) photos and breathtaking self-portraits, Tara’s feed also includes images of jaw dropping destinations from her recent adventures to lust-worthy destinations like Chiang Mai, Shibuya, Jaipur and Finland. Her feed comes complete with perfectly styled shots, the best hotels to spend the night in and some of the best secret spots to indulge in dessert along the way. instagram.com/taramilktea facebook.com/taramilktea facebook.com/taramilktea

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Rosie Clayton Rosie Clayton, the brainchild behind this colorful account, works with a team of equally well-traveled editors to find and share all of the best public art from all over the world.

instagram.com/rclayton

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influencers forty-one to fifty

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Callum Snape Leave it to a professional photographer and filmmaker to capture parts of the world in the most stunning and unexpected ways. Callum Snape is based in Vancouver, and so expect loads of breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains, arctic wonders and dreamy lakes. instagram.com/calsnape twier.com/CalSnape

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Pretty Little London Planning a trip to lovely London? Then you must follow this account immediately. It has photos of where you can find all the wisteria when it's in bloom, the quaintest spots for tea and a look at one of the world's best cities from every angle.

instagram.com/preylilelondon facebook.com/preylilelondon twier.com/pllondon2016

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Wonderful Places There’s a reason why this account has over 8 million(!) followers. This account is more of a community than an Insta-feed; the #wonderful_places hashtag generates over 5 million user generated photos of magical places all around the globe, all of which are curated to create the account's content.

Trust–you'll want to go to every single place on their feed

instagram.com/wonderful_places

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Pretty Cities For the traveler that loves pink, girly findings and flowers, this is the feed for you. There are endless photos of lush florals found in various cities across the globe as well as shots taken in must-go cafes and all the quaint streets in-between..

instagram.com/thepreycities

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influencers forty-one to fifty

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Jamie Beck One of our favorite photographers, Jamie Beck, has been capturing stunning fashion images paired with her adventures around the world for years, but her recent move to the South of France with her husband and collaborator, Kevin Burg, has her landing a spot on this list. We've been turning to Jamie for all things French as of late, and her riffs on classic French art spotted at the various musées she frequents in her studio as well as her obsession with haute cuisine consistently have us coming back for more.

instagram.com/annstreetstudio facebook.com/AnnStreetStudio twier.com/AnnStreetStudio

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Polina Here, constant traveler and food, fashion and flowers lover, Polina, fills her feed with luscious and vibrant images of her latest eats, discoveries, and experiences with her equally nomadic and sartorial friends.

instagram.com/elladvornik facebook.com/elladvornik twier.com/elladvornik

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Ella Dvornik There is no better gift in life then the gift of exploration, the hunger for adventure and understanding of the world. I have set off to see the world and most of it I share here. I am a hedonist. When I am not travelling, I’m eating, and I am eating a lot. instagram.com/elladvornik facebook.com/elladvornik twier.com/elladvornik influencers MAGAZINE

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World Golf News aims to gather all the news on golf across the world and share this with golfers and fans of the great game under one site. Our content, posted every day, covers all the tournaments, the greatest players, their coaches, and the specialist equipment that supports them. Supported with strong imagery and video footage, we are here to provide you with all the golďŹ ng news in an easily digestible format through the google+ platform..

www.worldgolfnews.com

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social media trends clare chamberlain digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk

Social Media is the dominant form of travel and attraction recommendations. or is it?

In a digital environment where nearly everything is shared on social media, long trips and weekend getaways are not to be excluded.

Travel, tourism and hospitality brands have latched on to this trend for marketing purposes, but the question is, is it working?

Although social media should be part of the marketing mix its influence is less than expected. The fact is social media has a long way to go to become the dominant form of recommendation for travel and tourism destinations.

A new research study by customer experience agency Network Research looked into the influence of positive and negative endorsements within the travel and tourism industry. The study exposed that trust in recommendations

made on social media lag significantly behind those from family and friends, TripAdvisor and other traditional media in influencing holiday and leisure choices.

Where are travellers actively looking for advice?

Of course, as a high involvement purchase decision, consumers like to research travel destinations and attractions to seek advice and recommendations. So these brands are using social media to reach their consumers. But the fact is that less than a quarter of consumers actively consult Facebook for holiday recommendations, followed by 11% on Twitter and 9% for Instagram. However, for younger consumers aged 18-24, social media recommendations are more

commonly sought after, with 40% stating they would consult Facebook, 23% for Twitter, and 28% for Instagram.

Of course, travel brands should never turn their heads from social media as its sheer presence and reach offer reward. Around 80% of people claim to have some social media interaction – and 15% even claim to post daily. The predictable age skews are present, but perhaps not as marked as you might expect – nearly three quarters of those aged 55+ claim to use social media – albeit at a lower frequency than their younger peers. So, whilst its dominance overall is perhaps less than expected, it’s clearly a channel on the rise with great impact especially on younger consumers.

PAUL JOHNSON A LUXURY TRAVEL BLOG

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social media trends it MAkes A Difference who’s Doing the tAlking. trAvellers tenD to trust people they know over celebrities.

Who do consumers trust the most with their holiday planning?

Overall respondents are less likely to trust recommendations made on social media compared to almost all channels surveyed. Of social media, Facebook is seen as the most trustworthy, with a third of respondents claiming to trust recommendations on Facebook, whereas only 20% of respondents claim to trust Twitter and Instagram. However, Millennial trust in these channels is significantly Facebook, 31% for Twitter, and 38% for Instagram.

So what’s the good news for travel brands?

PR activities by travel companies still appear to have a positive influence on holiday goers with around two in five claiming to trust newspaper articles.

Other sources are also still hanging strong with four out of five holiday goers trusting recommendations from friends and family and twothirds of respondents trusting review sites such as Trip Advisor.

In addition to the source, it makes a difference who’s doing the talking.

Travellers tend to trust people they know over celebrities. In fact, three in four consumers state that friends and family have a positive influence on holiday and attraction bookings, whilst six in 10 state that endorsements by celebrities have no influence at all on holiday or attraction bookings.

in fAct, three in four consuMers stAte thAt frienDs AnD fAMily hAve A positive influence on holiDAy AnD AttrAction bookings, whilst six in 10 stAte thAt enDorseMents by celebrities hAve no influence At All on holiDAy or AttrAction bookings.

Bad-mouthing has consequences – what’s the solution?

The ease of digital word of mouth has meant that bad reviews, whether on a rating site such as Trip Advisor or on social media, have more exposure than ever before.

The good news is that despite what we may think the most common motivator for posting on social media or TripAdvisor is sharing a great experience, with around half posting for this reason. On the other hand, bad experiences still drive a third of people to share negative reviews – and this certainly has its consequences. If consumers read a negative review on social media, it will lead 23% of people on Facebook, and 19% on Twitter, to avoid the holiday destination or attraction. Comparatively, around a third of consumers will avoid a destination from a bad TripAdvisor or newspaper article review.

So when eluding all negative experience isn’t possible, how can brands manage these consequences?

The solution is to address the complaint head on. If a company fails to respond to a complaint, or denies the complaint, more than half of consumers are less likely to consider the destination or attraction. On the other hand, if the company in question leaves a full apology almost three in five would be more likely to still consider the attraction or destination.

What does this mean for travel and leisure brands?

This research points to massive opportunities for leisure and tourism brands, big and small, to engage with customers more, and get them talking about their experiences. It’s clear that recommendations and reviews from personal contacts trump many other influences, so those companies that deliver great experiences and encourage customers to talk about them, in whatever forum, will be more likely to succeed. The role of social media is definitely growing but it hasn’t taken over, even amongst the young.

LAUREN BULLEN GYPSEA LUST

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Mark Murphy One of the travel industry’s most successful entrepreneurs, Mark is always at the forefront when it comes to industry news and insights. Trusted among many, Mark provides professional commentary for both consumer and business travellers, he is also a frequent travel expert and travel analyst on many major networks and news stations including: The Today Show, CNN, FOX Business, FOX News and many more. A bestselling author, he has also written a variety of books such as ‘Travel Forward’, an exploration of how you can enlighten yourself through travel, and ‘Travel Unscripted’, a chronicle of his own experiences travelling the world. facebook.com/LeadershipIQ twier.com/LeadershipIQ

Brian D Evans Definitely one to keep an eye on, Brian D Evans is always eager to help the next aspiring business reach new heights online. Brian has helped hundreds of start-ups find their feet, even creating ‘Influencive’, his very own marketing outlet for millennials and entrepreneurs to share their stories and inspire others. His advertising and consulting agency, BDE Ventures, ranked #172 on the Inc. 500 list for the fastest growing private companies in America. In addition to this, he is also a frequent contributor on Forbes, Business Insider, Inc. and Entrepreneur.com, offering regular insights for businesses to achieve success online. instagram.com/briandevans facebook.com/briandevansofficial twier.com/briandevans

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Nomadic Matt New York Times best-selling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and founder of this site. Each month over 1,000,000 people use my advice to travel better, cheaper, and longer. instagram.com/nomadicma facebook.com/nomadicma twier.com/nomadicma

Love and Road Robson Cadore and Natalie Deduck founded Love and Road through their passion for travel in April 2014. Ever since, they have been blogging travel tips, guides, stories, curiosities and some misadventures for their readers. Their blend of useful information and personal experience attracts new readers every day. Their mission is simply to inspire people to travel more, and better.

instagram.com/loveandroad facebook.com/loveandroad twier.com/loveandroad

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Travel Fashion Girl

Jade Broadus

There are more women travelling solo than ever before, so why not engage with them? Travel Fashion Girl is the number 1 blog for female travellers. Managed by Alex Jimenez, the blog curates the best travel packing tips for practical and stylish travellers. She also provides eBooks containing additional tips and advice, as well as beauty tips. Over 500,000 women read her blog every month, making her one of the top influencers to follow online.

Jade Broadus is the Social Media Manager and writer at Travel Mindset. She is also one part of the blogging duo at Vagabond3. Much of her work focuses on road trips, animal encounters, and quirky getaways; she is constantly on the hunt for the best taco in the world.

instagram.com/vagabond3 facebook.com/Vagabond3

instagram.com/travelfashiongirl facebook.com/TravelFashionGirl twier.com/TravlFashnGirl

twier.com/vagabond3live

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Lee Abbamonte Lee Abbamonte is the youngest American to visit every country in the world. He's visited 307 total countries and is one of the world’s most-traveled people. Lee is a travel writer, travel expert, travel television personality and global adventurer. Lee appears regularly on Fox News Channel and has appeared on the Travel Channel, NBC, CBS, CNN, BBC, ESPN, Yahoo Screen and many others. He has also been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, Bloomberg, Discovery Channel, Sky Scanner, Travel Zoo, Smart Money, Slate, OK! Magazine, Peter Greenberg radio and many others. Lee is an active member of the Travelers Century Club, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a member of the Circumnavigators Club. He's also a sports fanatic and loves the New York Yankees. instagram.com/leeabbamonte/ facebook.com/leeabbamonte twier.com/leeabbamonte

Corinne Edmiston Five feet of bubbly enthusiasm and cheesy jokes, Corinne is always up for trying awesome food and visiting new travel destinations. Next on her travel wish list is backpacking Europe and seeing the Northern Lights.

instagram.com/c_edmiston twier.com/c_edmiston1

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Jennifer Chong

Christie Kanani

Designer and photographer Jennifer Chong has a big heart (and stomach) for all things food! A Georgia native now living in Long Beach, CA she also writes a lifestyle blog focused on travel, food and design – blog.jchongstudio.com. When she isn't working, she can be found playing beach volleyball, continent hopping (four so far!) or searching for some delightful treats to devour!

San Francisco-based Christie is a world traveler known for bright and bold photography style. She hasn't been everywhere, but it's on her list. instagram.com/ckanani facebook.com/ckanani twier.com/ckanani

instagram.com/jchongstudio facebook.com/jchongstudio twier.com/jchongstudio

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Aida Mollenkamp Salt & Wind is a food and travel lifestyle site created by food and travel expert, Aida Mollenkamp. We're the sister site of Salt & Wind Travel. We're here to help you travel in good taste! instagram.com/saltandwind facebook.com/saltandwind twier.com/saltandwind

Bret Love We realized the healing power of nature very early on in our relationship. When we took our first big trip together to Hawaii’s Big Island in early 2009, Bret had just lost his beloved grandmother and Mary was coming out of a painful divorce. Spending a week together swimming with Sea Turtles, watching breaching Whales, hiking Volcanoes National Park, and sailing to see lava reach the boiling sea cemented our love, both of each other and of travel.

And we’ve been living, working and traveling together constantly ever since.. instagram.com/green_global_travel facebook.com/GreenGlobalTravel twier.com/greenglobaltrvl

influencers MAGAZINE

The latest spa tourism news on the most significant developments in the wellness and spa tourism industry.

Find stunning photos, videos and interactive discussions with our group members.

www.spatravelnews.com

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

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Dave Thompson

Kristin Luna

Over the past 20+ years our core focus has been promoting experiential travel; our readers are actively interested in a wide range of travel & lifestyle experiences across a variety of budgets. I began Dave’s Travel Corner in late 1996 as a result of of a life-changing trip to Nepal in which I trekked near Everest Base Camp. I began writing a journal while I was on the trip and it was the notes from this journal that became the foundation for Dave’s Travel Corner.

I’m a Nashville-based writer and live very close to where I was born; I have held court at this corner of the Internet since 2007, which I’m pretty sure makes me a senior citizen in blogging years. In case you’re brand new to these parts, let me give you a little bit of a rundown on the past decade from C&C’s conception to the present instagram.com/lunaticatlarge/ facebook.com/camelsandchocolate

instagram.com/davedtc/ facebook.com/davestravelcorner twier.com/DaveDTC

twier.com/lunaticatlarge

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

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Pete Halvorsenn

Broderick Smylie

Pete Halvorsen is a cutting edge creative advisor and content producer who has evolved with technology to create his own niche. Utilizing over 15 years of onsite experience in film, television, technology and advertising, Pete not only captures assets for brands but has become a creative asset himself. Past clients such as GAP, TOMS, Microsoft, The Getty Museum, Virgin Hotels, The Dorchester Collection and Toyota have trusted Pete with their brand's story and allowed him to execute campaigns on their behalf.

There are two things that have been constants throughout my life and those would be good food and cameras. My mother and cooked meals pretty much every day growing up and I inherited her love of good food and travel. On the photography front, my mother’s many brothers and sisters operated a large photography studio in their home country of Jamaica. Dozens of cameras and flashes would go off at any large gathering. I’ve had a variety of cameras growing up in Ohio, and I learned to develop film in middle school. I was very involved in publications in high school.

instagram.com/petehalvorsen/ twier.com/petehalvorsen

instagram.com/savoryexposure/

influencers MAGAZINE

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

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Bobby Christian

Lindsay Ferrier

Bobby Christian loves telling a story. After traveling around the world, he now likes to takes his camera with him everywhere- capturing little moments to share with the world. Check out his other videos at Oversaturated Inc .

I work as a blogger, freelance writer, and on-air talent and specialize in the topics of travel, parenting, lifestyle and humor. I recently hosted and co-wrote the Emmy Award-winning travel TV show, Tout Your Town. Before that, I covered the presidential election for CafeMom and Headline News and hosted and wrote the viral hit I’ll Take That Dare for YouTube. I’ve earned two Emmy Awards and been featured on the Today show as well as in major publications like The Washington Post and USA Today. And I’ve been nominated as one of Nashville’s Best Local Bloggers in The Tennessean’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards.

instagram.com/civilmatador

instagram.com/suburbanturmoil facebook.com/SuburbanTurmoil twier.com/SuburbanTurmoil

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

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Spencer Spellman I was fortunate enough to start traveling at a young age, thanks to a flight attendant sister and history teacher father who believed the only way to travel was by pop-up camper. It was the best of both worlds. I’d be lying though, if I didn’t say I was eating up having my own personal flight attendant when I flew by myself for the first time at age 7 (naturally with a notebook and disposable camera in hand). It was about that time, too, that I started drinking— Coca Cola that is. The first essay I ever remember writing was a submission for a competition to win a year’s supply of Coca-Cola. My essay: An account of how I beat Michael Jordan at a game of H-O-R-S-E in my backyard. instagram.com/spencerspellman facebook.com/spencerspellman0213 twier.com/spencerspellman

Keryn Means If you are an active parent ready to bring your kids on your travel adventures, you have come to the right place. We don’t believe parenting means giving up your passions, especially when you travel. Here you will find inspiration to get you out the door while keeping your sanity. We bring you restaurant recommendations, favorite shops, hotel reviews, packing lists, plus activities, cultural events and more that everyone in the family (not just the kids!) will enjoy. Thanks for joining us and don’t be a stranger.

instagram.com/walkingontravels facebook.com/walkingontravels twier.com/walkingontravel

influencers MAGAZINE

7,520,065,232

GLOBAL POPULATION

3,686,032,678

TOTAL INTERNET USERS

2,789,582,541

ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA USERS

A CONNECTED PLANET

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

71

Fresh Off The Grid At the time, the couple were preparing to embark on a year-long road trip, but found themselves struggling to reconcile their love for cooking with a life outdoors. Most home recipes were too complicated to be made at a campsite, while most camping recipes were too unhealthy to eat for anything more than a few days. So they started documenting theirs attempts to make healthy, nutritious meals under the constraints of a camping environment.

instagram.com/freshohegrid

72

facebook.com/FreshOffTheGrid

twier.com/FreshOffTheGrid

Monique Volz I won Nordic Ware’s Bundts Across America recipe contest, Fage’s recipe contest, appeared in a cook-off in Washington D.C., hung alongside Bobby Flay, shared my recipes on the Food Network’s HealthyEats.com and have been featured on numerous cooking sites such as the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Today.com and Cup of Jo. In less than 3 years, I was able to quit my full time corporate job to work on Ambitious Kitchen full time..

instagram.com/ambitiouskit

73

facebook.com/ambitiouskitchen

twier.com/ambitiouskitch

Rachel Rudwall Rachel has had countless global adventures, ranging from TV hosting for HLN's Vacation Chasers and ABC's FABLife, to digital hosting for Travel Channel and Mashable, and from brand influencing for BMW and Chase Bank, to producing shows like Ice Road Truckers and Ax Men. To top it off, Rachel shares global inspiration through Speaking, Keynote Addresses and Conference Workshops.

instagram.com/rachelroams

facebook.com/RachelRoams

twier.com/RachelRoams

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

74

Lindsey Tramuta I am a Paris-based journalist and author who moved to Paris from Philadelphia nearly 11 years ago. Since beginning this site in 2009, I’ve covered some not-so-cliché topics, uncovered new trends, shared my travels, and introduced you to an inspiring group of Francophiles.

instagram.com/LostNCheeseland/

facebook.com/lostincheeseland

75

twier.com/LostNCheeseland

Michelle Yam Having grown up in a multi-cultural surrounding, Michelle Yam developed her love for ethnic food and international travel at a young age. Her true appreciation for travel came when she studied abroad in Italy for a year and backpacked all throughout Europe by herself. Michelle has been featured as one of the top photographers on Instagram and regularly works with brands and destinations on social campaigns.

instagram.com/michelleyam

facebook.com/michelleyamphoto

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twier.com/michelleyam

Lauren Monitz Bitten by the travel bug early and often, from becoming a certified Viking in Iceland to eating her way around Thailand, Lauren "Lo" is intent on seeing all 50 states and 50 countries by the age of 50. You can follow her (mis)adventures on The DownLO.

instagram.com/lmonitz

facebook.com/lmonitz

twier.com/laurenmonitz

Discover the latest news from 200 dierent locations around the world in an easily digestible and fun format.

Discover group is the world's leading destination and lifestyle multi-channel content network.

Discover your next travel destination now.

| 100 |

Discover

www.discover.group

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

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Kristy Bernardo I started my food blog five years ago as a fun outlet for myself and – amazingly – it’s grown into something that has become much more than just my much-loved hobby. Food has become my “accidental career” – I call it that because until I had my first child ten years ago, the only things I knew how to cook were my leftovers on reheat (head over here to see my original “about” page and get more on that story). But as with anything in life, nothing is ever really accidental. I’ve had to work long hours to bring my blogging and chef career to where it is today. And I finally understand that old saying “If you find a job that you love, you’ll never work another day in your life”. instagram.com/thewickednoodle facebook.com/thewickednoodle

78

twier.com/thewickednoodle

Jessica Quirk Jessica Quirk has been interested in style since she first learned how to sew in grade school. Dressing to look and feel her best was a skill that led Quirk to a career in fashion design, and ultimately to building her personal style blog, What I Wore.

instagram.com/whatiwore

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facebook.com/WhatIWoreOfficial

twier.com/whatiwore

JD Andrews A video producer for more than twenty years, exploring the globe (96 countries across all 7 continents), capturing, shooting and editing travel/tourism videos for various companies, cruise lines, airlines, DMO's and tourist boards.

instagram.com/earthxplorer

facebook.com/earthXplorerMedia

twier.com/earthXplorer

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

80

Scott Eddy After a life changing event in high school, I was left feeling unmotivated and lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life but a few months later I was accepted into an investment training program. I excelled and went on to be a stockbroker for the next 10 years. In 1999, I was chatting with a friend who lived in Thailand and decided to visit. The firm I was working at had just been sold, so it was a perfect time for me to resign and relocate. I loved being abroad so much, I continued to live in Europe and Asia for the next 17 years.

instagram.com/mrscoeddy

facebook.com/MrScoEddyPage

81

twier.com/mrscoeddy

Megan Claire Adrenalin junkies, and incredibly active travelers, we are Meg & Mike Jerrard, and have been blogging since 2007 to bring you the best in adventure travel from all over the globe! (We’ve even won a few awards for being a top adventure travel blog!)

instagram.com/mappingmegan

facebook.com/mappingmegan

82

twier.com/mappingmegan

Justin Carmack Originally from Colorado, USA, Justin Carmack left home to travel the world. His first stop was to get PADI Open Water certified on Mozambique, which changed his life forever. Around that time he started the popular scuba travel blog, TrueNomads.com, where he documents all the places in the world he explores underwater.

instagram.com/truenomads

facebook.com/PADI

W O

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World Luxury News, has one aim, to bring you the latest luxury news from around the globe from the world's leading brands and luxury service providers.

R L D

L U X U R Y

N E W S

Working across a multitude of social media platforms, delivering content in an easily digestible image lead format in English, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and Russian, we engage with those that live and experience a luxury lifestyle each and every day.

Delivering the best news on this exciting and ever changing market and working in conjunction with the leading world luxury events.

www.luxnews.co

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

83

Ann Tran Authentically and carefully she has built a highly engaged audience, purposefully cultivating a genuine connection with her readers through storytelling and video. Ann has had the privilege to become a speaker in demand for corporate and other industry-related events as a result of her work as a travel writer and social media influencer.

twier.com/anntran

84

Yasmin At Luxury Travel Diary we blog about the best luxury accommodation, and the most exclusive transport for your travels. Additional features hi-light essential style & fashion items, required for luxury travel. We also host our own online auctions, allowing users to bid on a dream holiday or luxury item for as little as £0.99 GBP. Great new items are added all the time. Take a look at the fantastic bargains available in our auctions.

instagram.com/luxurytraveldiary

85

facebook.com/luxurytraveldiary

twier.com/LuxTravelDiary

Jeane Beena Happiness is ... a little Surf and a lot of Sunshine. A blog about travel, family, weddings, southern california beach living, crafts, cooking, fashion and entertainment!

instagram.com/jeanatravels

facebook.com/SurfandSunshine

twier.com/SurfnSunshine

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

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Urban Travel Blog Urban Travel Blog is a collective blog of expert travel writers, headed up by experienced travel journalist and editor Duncan Rhodes, who report on trends, experiences, festivals and nocturnal adventures in cities around Europe and the world.

instagram.com/UrbanTravelBlog

facebook.com/UrbanTravelBlog

87

twier.com/UrbanTravelBlog

Emily Luxton Travels I grew up in Weymouth, a small seaside town on the South Coast of England, but for as long as I can remember I wanted to travel. It took a long time for me to actually realise that dream, but ever since I did, there’s been no stopping me! While I’m still based in the UK, these days Me SquareI’m almost constantly travelling – so much so that right now I have no fixed address.

instagram.com/em_luxton

facebook.com/EmilyLuxtonTravelBlog

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twier.com/em_luxton

Savoir There Sorry to say blood in the first sentence like that. If you’re queasy, so sorry. Well I have already said sorry twice so that tells you I’m British. Of course my manners could equally make me Canadian, so you won’t be surprised to learn that I spent 4 years living in Vancouver. I have always been inspired to travel by my family; my English mother (of Norwegian descent) moved to Beirut as a young woman with my Egyptian father who himself has lived in places as varied as London and Libya as well as another of the most polite nations on the planet, Denmark.

instagram.com/SavoirThere

facebook.com/SavoirThere

twier.com/SavoirThere

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

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Hand Luggage Only As a hare-brained challenge at University… Just kidding!!! Hand Luggage Only was born back in April 2014 on a surprisingly warm afternoon in Yaya’s college room at University of Cambridge. In what seemed like an oasis of calm between assignments, Yaya and Lloyd (that’s us!) were talking about sharing our travel stories and photos with others like-minded travellers on the internet. We’d already been doing this for a while and (almost competitively) sharing our stories on Facebook but what we really wanted was to connect with other travellers across the globe and have a two-way conversation about travel. instagram.com/HandLuggageOnly facebook.com/HandLuggageOnly

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twier.com/HLOBlog

Mallory On Travel It is probably about time I told people a little about myself, being mysterious is only  interestting for so long. Time to explain a little about why I believe this site has something worth reading, my definition of adventure and what qualities me to write about it.

instagram.com/malloryontravel

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facebook.com/MalloryOnTravel?ref=ts&fref=ts

twier.com/MalloryOnTravel

Beyond Blighty Welcome to Beyond Blighty! I started my blog back in 2011 in the run up to a seven-month trip in South America, and I never could have anticipated the way this decision would change my life.

instagram.com/beyondblighty

facebook.com/BeyondBlighty

twier.com/BeyondBlighty

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

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Kristina Makeeva Spectacular photgraphy is what distinguishes Kristina from many of her social media cpntemporaries. Colourful, surreal and full of wit and invention this is travel photography as high art.

instagram.com/hobopeeba

facebook.com/hobopeeba

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Leonie Hanne ohhcouture.com was founded in the beginning of 2014 by former strategy consultant and passionated shopper Leonie Hanne. After being named one of the most promising talents of the textile industry by German textile journal „Textilwirtschaft“, Leonie decided to quit the corporate career in order to fulfill her dream of working independently on her own fashion and lifestyle blog.

instagram.com/ohhcouture

facebook.com/ohhcouture

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twier.com/ohhcouture

Nicola Easterby I started Polkadot Passport as a source of travel inspiration and information for adventurous souls. By sharing unique, bucket-list experiences, destination guides, travel photography tips and endless adventures, Polkadot Passport simple goal is to inspire everyone to go out and explore this beautiful world we live in. I am living proof that you don’t to have a full-time career under your belt or an overflowing bank account in order to explore the world. A life of adventure is possible for anyone who is willing to chase after it!

instagram.com/polkadotpassport

facebook.com/polkadotpassport

twier.com/polkadotpp

influencers fifty-one to one hundred

95

Girls Born to Travel Girls Born to Travel is a community of female travellers sharing their trips and stories online. Our goal is to empower others to travel a road of their choosing and provide courage and inspiration to dream big, going out their comfort zones and be fearless.

instagram.com/girlsborntotravel

96

facebook.com/girlsborntotravel

twier.com/girlsborntravel

Ketevan Giorgadze Taking a glamorous and inventive look at her travels, Russian blogger Ketevan has explored places from Indonesia to France, Turkey to Malta.

instagram.com/katie.one

97

facebook.com/oneliletrip/

Luxury Columnist If you have a taste for the finer things in life then our luxury blog should be right up your street.I’m Suze, aka Luxury Columnist and with my husband Paul, we aim to help everyone experience a little luxury in their lives. More than just a luxury travel blog, we’re also a luxury fashion blog and London blog rolled into one. You’ll discover some of our favourite hidden gems in cities like Paris and Rome and secret London hotspots. We’ll reveal quirky and original experiences like our first hot air balloon flight and first time at London Fashion Week.

instagram.com/luxurycolumnist

facebook.com/LuxuryColumnist

twier.com/luxurycolumnist

TOP 1OO TRAVEL INFLUENCERS

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The Travel Hack The Travel Hack Travel bloggers with a love for stylish adventure travel. Proving stylish travel can be affordable and adventure travel can have a luxury twist!

instagram.com/thetravelhack

facebook.com/TheTravelHack

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twier.com/TheTravelHack

Globalhelpswap We started globalhelpswap to show the world that responsible travel can be easy, comfortable and very special. We’re on a mission to hunt down the most magical, responsible experiences on this wonderful planet of ours so that we can share them with you. We want to share our stories so as to inspire you to create your own.

instagram.com/globalhelpswap

facebook.com/globalhelpswap

twier.com/globalhelpswap

100 This Battered Suitcase .This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why. Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too. instagram.com/thisbaeredsuitcase

facebook.com/ThisBaeredSuitcase

twier.com/SuitcaseBrenna

World Travel News World Travel News is available across • English Platforms: Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram • Languages: Weibo, VK, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Arabic • The platforms are updated daily with new and relevant content

worldtravelnews.co facebook.com/World-Travel-News107968282910625/ twitter.com/365TravelNews instagram.com/365travelnews/ uk.pinterest.com/365travelnews/ vk.com/worldtravelnews weibo.com/worldtravelnews1

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

123.000

Discover Dubai Discover Abu Dubai is available across • English Platforms: Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram • Languages: Weibo, VK, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Arabic • The platforms are updated daily with new and relevant content

discoverdubai.co facebook.com/discoverdubai365?skip_ nax_wizard=true twitter.com/365Dubai instagram.com/discoverdubai365 uk.pinterest.com/discoverdubai vk.com/discoverdubai weibo.com/discoverdubai1

TOTAL FOLLOWERS:

221,000

social media advice nancy huang traveltripper.com

How to use social influencers successfully to market your hotel Influencer marketing has received quite a lot of buzz in recent years and was even rated the fastestgrowing online customer acquisition method. Hotel brands are lavishing freebies to Instagram and YouTube stars in return for posts or videos.

And this year, nearly 50% of US marketers will increase their influencer marketing budgets this year.

conversion-optimized foundation.

That said, influencer marketing is especially valuable for lifestyle and boutique hotels aiming to define and build their identity, all while casting a wider net across their target guest segments.

Essentially the digital age’s version of a celebrity endorsement, influencer marketing is a powerful way to connect with larger audiences. Producing a successful campaign is easier said than done, however, as hotels need to take influencer selection, compensation, and ROI into account.

There are multiple social media tools that you can use to discover influencers and their key metrics, including their social platform of choice, number of followers, level of engagement, and more. Tools vary in price and complexity, but if you are just starting out, you can dabble in one of these seven free influencer marketing tools.

Influencer marketing for hotels has the potential to be an effective channel, but as long as it’s built on a solid multi-channel marketing and

Identifying Influencers: Who to choose

In recent times, a wave of new startups have started offering travel brands an opportunity to discover a

world of potential influencers, from social media celebrities to adventurous everyday travelers who showcase a high degree of creative talent.

For instance, Crowdriff enables travel brands to source inspiring visuals from user-generated content, providing a potential opening to connect with content creators. Meanwhile, Tinflur helps travel and tourism marketers find influential bloggers while seeing their number of social followers by different platforms.

In addition, specialist agencies such as Media Kix help brands connect with major influencers on channels such as Instagram, YouTube, and Vine. In a recent example, Media Kix helped Fairmont Hotels and Resorts find four influencers who visited and promoted Fairmont properties around the world.

JACK & FINN HARRIES

if you finD A populAr blogger posting content AligneD with your brAnD, you’ll hAve A greAt stArting point to get in touch.

influencers MAGAZINE

social media trends

When selecting your influencers, consider some of the following factors:

Followers vs. Engagement The first step, and one which is often under emphasized, is identifying which influencers are best to target. While follower counts might be an obvious criteria, sheer numbers alone are not enough, as actual engagement needs to be analyzed as well.

A smaller but more buzzing audience can potentially be more useful than a larger inactive one, since the latter will drive awareness, but not necessarily action. As such, its influence might only be short term and potentially unsustainable.

These influencers have substantial audiences but may not be as passionate as actual brand advocates, merely producing social media coverage for the sake of garnering freebies.

“Niche” social influencers Finding a social media influencer who’s an especially close fit with your brand is beneficial for a couple of reasons. First, they’ll be more likely to want to partner with you in the first place. Second, when they do promote your brand, their whole message will feel far more authentic.

So how do you find a niche influencer? Start by using hashtags that are specific to your brand as possible. For instance on Instagram, a luxury hotel could search for a term such as “#luxurytravelblogger” to find the most suitable prospects, then check their popularity by likes and followers. The same hashtag approach can also be used on Facebook and Twitter.

Alternatively, look for existing followers on your hotel’s social media platforms who have significant followings of their own. If you find a potential candidate, scour their posts to see if they’re publishing travel-related content that feels in step with your brand.

Google is another great place to start your search. Again, to carry out a niche search, you could use a term like “family friendly travel bloggers,” or a combination of “travel blogger + your destination” to find local influencers in your area.

If you find a popular blogger posting content aligned with your brand, you’ll have a great starting point to get in touch.

The best platforms for influencers Connecting with the right influencer on the right social media platform can help your hotel accomplish a range of goals, from building brand exposure and credibility to driving direct bookings. Depending on your marketing goals and target audience, the following three platforms their own unique set of benefits.

Facebook With close to nearly 2 billion monthly users, Facebook reigns supreme when it comes to global reach. A huge 1.28 billion use the platform every day, so connecting with the right kind of influencer can be a great way of reaching audiences throughout the travel journey.

It’s also a platform with a highly diverse demographic. While commonly assumed to be dominated by younger audiences,

Facebook is used by 79% of 30 to 49-year-olds, and 56% of those aged 65 and over.

And with the ability to add a “Book Now” button on a Facebook Page, partnering with an influencer means that their followers can be more easily encouraged to book with your hotel through the same platform rather than being directed to your hotel website.

Instagram Instagram recently exceeded 600 million global users and its most popular influencers often have a celebrity-like status, lending incredible weight to their opinions and brand-sponsored endorsements.

It’s also driven by visuals more than any other social media platform, which is especially beneficial to hotels looking to promote their property, experiences, and destination.

But Instagram isn’t just about building exposure. Last year, Starwood Hotels & Resorts partnered with five Instagram influencers and featured a booking feature within their photos, posted while staying at two of Starwood’s new Parisian hotels.

Used creatively, Instagram influencers now offer the possibility of driving direct bookings.

PRETTY LITTLE LONDON

with close to neArly 2 billion Monthly users, fAcebook reigns supreMe when it coMes to globAl reAch.

influencers MAGAZINE

social media trends

Snapchat Instead of building commercial relationships with influencers, Snapchat prefers to encourage its social media icons to spontaneously share content like an everyday user.

Not that it isn’t effective for influencer marketing. A huge 85% of its audience are aged between 18 and 34, making it a great platform to reach younger audiences.

To reach this demographic, Marriott partnered with four social media influencers as part of their “6 days 7 nights” campaign, shot in various global destinations. The first threeminute long video showed fussy food eater, Jen Levinson, sampling new dishes in Berlin before heading back to the comfort of her Moxy hotel.

By understanding its conventions and the right creative treatment, Marriott’s campaign demonstrates the potential of partnering with Snapchat’s younger social media starlets.

Audiences and Brand Alignment Additional factors that need to be considered are the influencer’s type of audience and brand alignment.

The audience should match both the hotel’s distinct personality and its target market.

Starwood has recognized the importance of taking into account whether influencers can help tell the brand’s story, as they can provide an inside look at the property and the little details that build its brand.

The influencer’s audience then notices these unique, eye-catching elements, ultimately driving bookings and not merely providing

free publicity for the hotel.

It should be noted that influencers don’t necessarily need to be social media celebs, but simply users with significant followings who are representative of a target market, like a social-savvy corporate traveler for a business hotel. Followers will more likely be able to relate to these down-to-earth personalities.

and content seem much less organic and authentic.

Take for example, the Refinery Hotel in New York, which offered up a free night and complimentary meals to the writers of Taste the Style.

Measuring Success: Looking beyond the Addressing Compensation: booking Free or not too free Numbers-driven hotel managers How should hotels compensate social media influencers for their posts and content? This is often a tricky system to navigate, as oftentimes agreements between hotel and influencer are ambiguous.

In many cases, hotels provide social influencers with complimentary stays and services, with the expectation that they will post at least a few times from the property.

However, because no payment exchanges hands, the hotel has no control over the content or the number of posts received. In such cases, using an intermediary such as a PR agency can be a great help in establishing implicit and explicit expectations.

Hotels that want greater control of the messaging, content, and quantity of influencer posts can consider paying for it. In such cases, a proper contract between the influencer and hotel is necessary and should outline specific terms.

Social media agencies such as Laundry Service can help hotels navigate these types of agreements.

Whether your hotel decides on paid or unpaid compensation, one thing is for sure: editorial style should always be left up to the influencer.

These social media gurus have an established voice and style that has made them popular, so attempting to change this will make their posts

often have trouble quantifying the success of influencer marketing.

After all, how many likes equals a booking? How much revenue is generated per social influencer?

It seems sensible to be cautious about the amount spent on influencer marketing. That said, studies have shown influencer marketing helps with brand building.

A recent study by Rhythm One found that for every $1 spent on influencer marketing, $2.26 in earned media value was returned.

This study offers a useful reference point for hotels to compare their own ROI to this industry’s average as well as others. Factors to consider include engagement (number of likes, comments, replies), virality (how often the content is re-posted or shared), and reach (how many people saw the post).

Other factors to consider include traffic to your hotel website, number of new followers on your social media page, and your hotel’s occupancy rates and ADR over time.

Ultimately you’ll want to see a positive relationship between the success of your influencer marketing and the long-term trends in your hotel’s performance.

POLINA FROM POLABUR

A huge 85% of snApchAt’s AuDience Are AgeD between 18 AnD 34, MAking it A greAt plAtforM to reAch younger AuDiences.

influencers MAGAZINE

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inuencer A W A R D S

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FOR VILLAGE ACQUAFORTE THALASSO SPA

The Acquaforte Thalasso Spa, with its thalassotherapy centre and an exclusive package of spa treatments. The Italian school of thalassotherapy was founded at our centre. The Forte thalassotherapy treatment is based on the combined action of factors like the sun, pleasantly warm temperatures, seawater, and marine mud activated by the sun and by magnesium salt. The laer, together with sodium chloride, gives our water a unique natural saline density found in no other natural water, and it has exceptional therapeutic properties.

A unique and exclusive combination of treatments and therapies makes the Acquaforte Spa the finest place to unwind and tune into the natural equilibrium between body and mind.

With its exceptional natural beauty, long white sand beaches and spectacular Mediterranean Sea, the south coast of the island of Sardinia is home to the Forte Village. Set in 47 hectares of lavish gardens and grounds, Forte Village provides a truly wonderful holiday, perhaps that is why we have been voted by travel agents as the ‘World’s Leading Resort’ every year since 1998.

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RTE The resort is a private park reserved for hotel guests, safe for children, no cars are allowed inside. There are eight hotels, each has a unique style of accommodation.

As well as offering a vast choice of activities for young and old alike, the resort boasts the finest equipment for every imaginable sport and leisure pursuit. Not least its own Leisure Land, a thrillpacked temple of fun and sport.

of spa treatments, is one of the few very special “Leading Spas of the World”. The Forte thalassotherapy treatment is based on the combined action of factors like the sun, pleasantly warm temperatures, seawater, and marine mud activated by the sun and by magnesium salt.

International professionals at the new medical sports centre will offer advice, in particular related to back and muscle treatments. www.fortevillageresort.com/thalasso-spa

The Acquaforte Thalasso Spa, with its thalassotherapy centre and an exclusive package

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THALASSOTHERAPY Today, thalassotherapy is one of the most effective, natural, complete methods of rediscovering unity and harmony. It’s recognised as an integrative method for rehabilitation, recovery and maintenance of overall wellness in the human body. The head of our medical team, Dr. Angelo Cerina, is considered to be one of the leading international specialists in the sector.

MEDICALSPA In-depth research has given rise to new therapies based on the use of our seawater and sea salt.

These treatments are aimed at the physical and psychophysical recovery from excessive stress, osteoarticular conditions, overweight, female conditions, the prevention of ageing, and detox programmes.

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SELAM The Selam Project is the result of years of research in the thalassotherapy and wellbeing sector and marks a turning point in physical performance philosophy and in dealing with many complaints such as diabetes, obesity, cellulite, high blood pressure, back pain, osteoporosis and various other conditions, including psychosomatic problems.

AYURVEDIC PARK Come and discover our wonderful garden dedicated to the power of Ayurvedic medicine.

Massages are performed using ancient traditional Indian techniques and are ideal both for therapy and total relaxation, allowing you to rediscover physical and spiritual wellbeing.

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The whole experience of Acquaforte is now simply unforgeable. From your arrival at the Spa by walking along the pathway which leads through a prey garden as if to a hideaway, to the warm welcome in the new reception and courtyard area, from the treatments to floating in the pools, you will be immersed in another world until the moment you leave.

medically proven to be good for your health – the philosophy of ‘Spice for Life.’

Tisaneria has been restyled and now offers an extended Spa menu designed by Michelin starred chef, Alfons Schuhbeck. His dishes are based on herbs and spices that taste great and are

New in 2016, the launch of the Forte Lab in cooperation with the Performance Center (PC) run

by Gian Piero Ventrone. From 1994 to 2004 he worked as Manager of the physical area of the

Once your personal wellness program has been defined, you can enjoy the comfort of the spacious cabins, completely refurbished each has a relaxing bed and a splendid view of the lush greenery.

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CONSTANTLY IN THE SEARCH FOR NEW SERVICES AND EXPERIENCES TO DELIGHT GUESTS AT THE FORTE VILLAGE. IN 2016 THE ACQUAFORTE SPA HAS MUCH NEWS TO TELL.

JUVENTUS FC first team and the youth sector with Marcello Lippi and Carlo Anceloi winning 5 league titles, 1 European Super Cup, 1 Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup 1 Italy’s Cup 4 Italian Super cups. The Performance Center is dedicated to professional and amateur athletes who want to discover new training systems which, with the help of the professional team of the PC, will help them achieve tangible objectives and results in just 10 days during their holiday.

Professor Parra continues his collaboration with the Forte Village to provide specialist advice and treatments for sport and the aesthetic medicine.

Beer known by the nickname of "Doctor Laser" in 1998 he invented a unique laser treatment which is sought aer by patients and professional athletes all over the world, including tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams.

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A new therapeutic treatment developed by Prof.

Parra guarantees extraordinary results overtime for different pathologies of muscles and tendons.

In particular it an effective and revolutionary therapy for the treatment and care of "back pain", a widespread disease with a major impact on the quality of life of many people.

Currently Medical Director of the Center FIT (Federation Italian Tennis) of Tirrenia and Medical Director of the Italian National Team for the Davis Cup, Federation Cup and the preparation of the Italian Olympic team, Prof. Parra is also a member of the medical commission of the Basketball Federation and has been for many years the staff doctor of Juventus FC.

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Finally, a new boutique adjacent to the entrance of Acquaforte Spa, offers guests the opportunity to find the latest dermo-cosmetic and skin care products which have been developed through the specialized knowledge of the staff and consultants of the Acquaforte Spa. Our Acquaforte Medical Team and Beauty Department has partnered with Sisley to develop unique and innovative protocols and rituals for the face and body to offer you something really special for 2016.

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inuencer C O N F E R E N C E

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260+ 12 LANGUAGES 19 PLATFORMS

With over 700 million views a year, VENDS is a world’s leading destination and lifestyle multi-channel content network. Every day our dedicated social media content editors help millions of people discover the latest news, events and experiences from all around the world in an easy digestible and fun format across our multi-lingual social channels on Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & many more.

If you are looking to reach and engage millions of users passionate about discovering new destinations call Kevin Rolfe on +44 (0) 20 7925 0000, email Kevin.Rolfe@VENDS.co or visit www.VENDS.co

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