How to Get Started Working with Influencers as a Travel Advisor
When most people hear the word influencer, they picture someone with a massive social media following, the kind who gets paid to post vacation photos and sip cocktails by infinity pools. But when it comes to working with influencers as a travel advisor, the real story is a lot deeper than likes and follower counts.
In this post, I want to share exactly how I’ve built successful influencer partnerships, from where those relationships started, to what I’ve learned about pricing, contracts, and the business mindset required to make them work.
This isn’t theory. These are real lessons from trips that sold out, collaborations that fizzled, and partnerships that taught me how to balance creativity with smart business strategy.
If you’ve ever wondered how to start working with influencers to grow your travel business, this guide is for you.
Building Relationships First
My journey into influencer partnerships didn’t start with a strategy deck or a cold pitch. It started with relationships.
Back in 2020, when travel came to a halt, I was home with a new baby, feeling lonely and stir-crazy. Like so many of us, I turned to social media, but not for sales. I was looking for community. I started connecting with other women who were entrepreneurs, creatives, and moms navigating that strange, quiet season. We built friendships. We supported each other. And when travel came roaring back, I realized something: these women had influence.
They had audiences who trusted them, followed their journeys, and were eager to say yes to the next adventure. That’s when it clicked. The connections I had built during the pandemic could become powerful partnerships once the world opened again.
Takeaway: Focus on building genuine connections long before you pitch a trip. Influence grows out of trust, not transactions.
Starting with Curiosity
When I first approached my friend Kayla—an artist in Lexington who had previously hosted a retreat in Italy—I didn’t start with a pitch. I started with questions. We met for coffee, and instead of saying, “I have a trip idea for you,” I said, “Tell me what you loved about your last retreat, and what you found hard.”
She told me how amazing the experience had been, but also how overwhelming it was to manage logistics, payments, and planning while also leading creative sessions. As she talked, I realized the opportunity: I could handle the travel side so she could focus on what she loved most: teaching and connecting with her community.
By listening first, I learned exactly how to position my role as the solution to her biggest pain points.
Takeaway: Start with curiosity. Ask potential partners about their past experiences, challenges, and dreams. The best sales pitch is empathy.
Choosing the Right Influencers
Here’s what I’ve learned after a few wins and a few “never again” moments: not every influencer is the right fit.
It’s tempting to chase the biggest following, but followers aren’t the same as influence. I’ve worked with clients who have hundreds of thousands of followers but little real engagement, and others with just a few thousand who sell out every class or event they offer.
When evaluating a potential partner, I look beyond Instagram metrics and ask deeper questions:
Do they have an engaged community that responds to them?
Do they communicate with their audience via email or in-person events, not just posts?
Are they relatable and trustworthy — not just “Insta-perfect”?
I also think about alignment. I’ve learned not to pursue niches that don’t fit me. I once chatted with a yoga influencer who was amazing, but I quickly realized I wasn’t passionate about yoga. I knew I couldn’t speak her language or serve her audience well… and that’s okay.
Takeaway: Look for people of influence, not just influencers. Authentic connection and audience alignment matter far more than follower count.
Partnering with the Right Suppliers
Once you’ve identified the right influencer, the next step is finding the right supplier. Not every partner will be open to influencer travel, especially at the luxury level. Some properties have been burned by “content creators” who left more of a mess than a marketing impact.
That’s why I focus on suppliers, BDMs, and DMCs I already know and trust, people who understand the difference between a vanity partnership and a strategic collaboration. When you bring an influencer trip idea to them, they’re more likely to say yes if you’ve already built that relationship and can present a clear plan for how it benefits everyone.
Takeaway: Choose suppliers who see the value of collaboration — and who are just as invested in your success as you are.
Ask the Right Questions Up Front
Before moving forward with any influencer, I make sure to have an open, honest conversation about expectations.
I ask:
How will you promote this trip?
Do you have an email list? What’s your open rate?
What’s your audience’s typical spending range?
Can you name a few people who would likely sign up immediately?
These aren’t easy questions, but they’re essential. I’ve learned this the hard way. I started working with an influencer who had a huge online presence but no real conversion power. The trip didn’t sell because her followers weren’t used to making big purchases through her.
Now, I treat these early conversations like a business consultation. I’m not just helping someone plan a vacation. I’m partnering with another entrepreneur.
Takeaway: Be direct. You’re not being nosy — you’re protecting your time, reputation, and resources by ensuring alignment from the start.
Understanding the Numbers
Let’s talk about the part nobody likes: money.
Influencers often expect to travel for free—and sometimes to be paid on top of that. And yes, they should be compensated for the value they bring. But both sides need to understand what’s realistic.
Early on, I had to learn how to balance their expectations with what made financial sense for me and my clients. I now run projections before every partnership:
What happens if we sell five spots?
What if we sell ten?
How does each outcome affect my profit, their compensation, and the client experience?
That clarity has saved me from making emotional decisions that led to disappointing margins.
Takeaway: Know your numbers before you say yes. A good collaboration should be profitable for everyone involved, not just fun.
Pricing and Comfort Level
Even when pricing makes sense on paper, your influencer still has to feel comfortable selling it. If they’ve never sold a high-ticket offer before, a $5,000 group trip might sound intimidating even if it’s a perfect fit for their audience.
That’s why I take time to walk them through the value of the trip and help them position it to their followers. For example, one of my influencer partners, a local chef, hosts cooking classes that sell out in seconds. When I saw that, I knew she had a dedicated audience willing to invest. It wasn’t about discounting the trip. It was about showing her how to frame it as the next natural step in her audience’s journey.
Takeaway: Confidence sells. Help your influencer see the value of what you’re creating together so they can promote it authentically.
Keep It Business-to-Business
It’s easy to get starstruck when working with someone who’s built a brand. I’ve been there. It’s exciting! But the moment you approach a collaboration like a fan instead of a peer, you lose your authority.
Remember: this is business-to-business. You’re the travel expert. You bring logistics, insurance, supplier relationships, and expertise that the influencer doesn’t have.
There was one trip early in my journey where I compromised too much because I didn’t want to lose the partnership. I didn’t lose money, but I didn’t earn much either, and I learned an important lesson about setting boundaries and maintaining professionalism.
Takeaway: Treat influencer collaborations as equal partnerships. Respect their platform, but know your worth and protect your bottom line.
Learning From What Doesn’t Work
Not every influencer trip will be a home run, and that’s okay. From conversations I’ve had with other travel advisors, sometimes collaborations look great on paper but fall apart because the influencer doesn’t understand their audience’s financial reality. Other trips have taught valuable lessons about how crucial contracts are when egos and expectations start to shift.
Each experience I’ve gone through and heard about from others has helped me refine my process:
Vet influencers carefully.
Put everything in writing.
Don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
You either earn or you learn—and both outcomes move you forward.
Takeaway: Every collaboration teaches you something. Use what doesn’t work to build stronger systems and partnerships next time.
Building Long-Term Partnerships
The best influencer relationships don’t end when the trip does. My most successful collaborations have turned into long-term friendships and repeat business. Once you’ve worked through one launch together, the next one becomes easier because you already understand each other’s communication style, audience, and rhythm.
I also love collaborating with other advisors on influencer trips. It’s a great way to share the workload, exchange ideas, and combine strengths.
Takeaway: Think long-term. The goal isn’t a one-off trip. It’s an ongoing partnership that continues to grow both of your businesses.
Final Thoughts
Working with influencers has stretched me as a travel advisor. It’s forced me to think like a marketer, negotiate like a businesswoman, and collaborate like a teammate.
It’s not always easy. There are contracts to write, expectations to manage, and plenty of lessons learned along the way. But when it works—when you see travelers signing up because they trust the person leading them and you’ve built something that benefits everyone—it’s incredibly rewarding.
Takeaway: Done right, influencer partnerships can open doors to new audiences, creative collaborations, and sustainable business growth.
Learn More
I share even more lessons, stories, and practical tips about working with influencers in my interview on The Art of Selling Travel Podcast.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
Building Partnerships Through Influencer Travel