If your dream is to be a successful Travel Influencer on Instagram, buckle up your seatbelts, stow your luggage, your journey to becoming a sought-after Travel Influencer or Creator and book LOTS of Hotel collabs, working with Airlines, Tourism boards, and all things Travel begins right here!
I’ll be spilling the secrets on where to start, to turn your jet-setting ways into a full-fledged career, complete with dreamy hotel & travel collaborations that will have your family, friends’ and followers saying, “Where can I sign up for having your life?”
Just like this: Our Family enjoying an All-Inclusive Hotel Collaboration in Mexico ($12k value)
Whether you’re a complete new-be, or seasoned Influencer or Creator wanting to venture into the world of Travel and Hotel Collabs, these 8 steps will guide you through the exact process of turning your travel passion into epic FREE vacations.
For those who don’t know me, I’m Shannon and I have worked as a Travel Creator / Influencer for the last 5-6 years and a Social Media Manager Growth Specialist for 8. I have had some of the best experiences of my life from travel collaborations / jobs through my Travel Creator Account: @travellivn From Presidential Suites, Boat Cruises, All-inclusive Cancun trip to $4k jobs with Airlines, I have experienced some INCREDIBLE highs. Along the journey, I have learnt a lot of things that work, and that don’t work through trial and error, and through my Courses + the tools I offer, this blog and my new social media account: @the_savvytourist I’m sharing ALL the tips you’ll need to succeed as a Travel Creator!
✈️Let’s ‘take-off’ into Step 1
🌟8 x Steps: How to become a Travel Influencer / Travel Creator & land hotel collaborations
1. BUILD AN AUDIENCE
Firstly, you are going to need to build an ‘engaged’ audience, the emphasis is on engaged. A decent following is great and is definitely going to help you stand out above others, but engagement is key🔑. If this is something you are struggling with there are definitely things to help fast track your following and engagement and this happens to be my specialty: click here to find out more about how I can help 🫶🏼
2. GET SOME EXPERIENCE (BUILD PORTFOLIO)
Get some experience as a Travel Influencer and develop your skills by taking a quick trip and shooting it like it’s an actual Hotel Collaboration. Get your best work and use this to showcase in your media kit and on your socials. The focus here is on the quality of your videos and images, especially if you don’t have a large following, you are going to need a killer portfolio that sells your skills and what you will provide, if it’s not for your influence. EXTRA TIP: When starting out you can also ask to work with hotels for an upgrade, this will help you network, get experience dealing with their PR and Marketing departments and get you some testimonials.
3. CREATE A MEDIA KIT
Create a media kit that SELLS YOU, this is essential! An example of mine is here (and a template in included my Travel Influencer & Creator course: here)
4. DECIDE ON DELIVERABLES & OFFER
Decide what is your offer, decide on your edge, what’s your selling point, what makes you stand out. (I share exactly what I offer in my course that gets me booked again and again)
5. WRITE A KILLER PITCH
Write a killer pitch, focus on what you will do for them, and why your audience aligns with their property (a copy of my pitch which has landed me the $12k collab above and 4 x BIG collabs in the last 4 weeks is in my Travel Influencer & Creator Course here)
6. FIND ‘THE RIGHT’ PROPERTIES
Find hotels or travel brands to pitch to. EXTRA TIP: make sure you get the direct emails (my contact list and exact strategy to find and spot the tell tale signs of the hotels that would be the best to approach is in my course😉 plus my strategy to get the contact details of the PR / Marketing department is in there too – just saying lol)
7. SENT OUT ‘LOTS’ OF PITCHES😉
8. FOLLOW UP, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
Follow up a minimum of 3 times, even 5! Time and time again it will be when I’m about to give up that I get a yes and a reply.
If you would like ALL THE TOOLS
⭐The Pitch email that has landed me 12k Collabs and 4 this last month.
⭐My PR / Media Contact list with over 70 Travel Contacts (that continues to grow)
⭐My Travel Influencer Media Kit template.
⭐List of all the platforms & groups I use to get Travel Jobs.
⭐And a step by step Video guide to ALL my strategies that have worked for me for the last 6 years!
Or if you’re like me, and like to take the fastest route possible checkout my Complete Package which also includes my InstaGROW course or book in a 1 on 1 strategy session with me 🫶🏻
Safe travels, future influencers! 🌏✨
