4 Strategies for Authentic Collaboration Between Travel Brands and Creators

Travel brands seeking meaningful partnerships with content creators face a new reality: audiences can spot inauthentic collaborations from a mile away. Building genuine connections requires moving beyond transactional relationships and embracing strategies that prioritize creative freedom and shared values. This article explores four proven approaches to authentic brand-creator collaboration, featuring insights from industry experts who have successfully bridged this gap.

• Co-Create Itineraries From Day One

• Favor Real Moments Over Scripts

• Let Creators Shape Their Content

• Align Values Through Open Dialogue

Co-Create Itineraries From Day One

The process of creating content with creators before their trip has proven to be extremely effective. It involves seeking creator input at the very beginning of planning, rather than handing them a pre-made itinerary. I once assisted in planning a hosted spa day for a wellness creator by asking her to share ideas about what kind of experience would interest her audience. She suggested a self-directed bath experience using herbs--something we typically don't offer to customers. After testing it and seeing that it worked well, we used her original concept to design the entire event. The experience felt authentic because she showed genuine enthusiasm throughout all her social media posts, which attracted fans who specifically requested the special bath treatment featured in her influencer videos.

Damien Zouaoui, Co-Founder, Oakwell Beer Spa

Favor Real Moments Over Scripts

The strategy of allowing creators to tell their stories in their natural voice produces better results than relying on pre-made captions and corporate statements. For example, during our hosted trip, the local tourism board of Sardinia requested drone footage and promotional content about escaping to paradise. Instead of using the scripted material, the creator chose to focus on authentic moments--like the boat captain's grumpy demeanor and the village cat that stayed by her side throughout the day. This genuine post ended up receiving more engagement than all the professionally produced videos. It resonated because it reflected real experiences, which audiences tend to prefer over overly staged tourist imagery.

Vincent Carrié, CEO, Purple Media

Let Creators Shape Their Content

Something that often helps with authenticity is when travel brands aren't as particular about what creators post. Of course these collaboration agreements tend to, and generally need to, have some content guidelines, but giving creators a bit more freedom can go a long way. People can tell the difference between a scripted video where a creator is clearly talking about what they are being paid to talk about versus a video that feels more organic and real to what they'd normally post. People want real content - it's as simple as that.

Steve Schwab, CEO, Casago

Align Values Through Open Dialogue

In my experience, fostering a genuine connection between travel brands and creators starts with open communication. When both parties share their core values and audiences, it creates a foundation for authentic storytelling. This strategy is effective because it encourages collaborations that feel less like advertisements and more like shared experiences, allowing audiences to engage on a deeper level. When creators feel aligned with the brand, their enthusiasm shines through, enhancing credibility and impact.

Nicholas Gibson, Marketing Director, Stash + Lode