How do I find travel influencers that actually work? We hear this often at Steller.
Here’s the truth, most influencers do not directly drive travel, which is why most of the metrics you see in travel influencer marketing are vanity metrics. There is a big difference between pretty travel videos and actual travel influence.
At Steller, we’ve cracked the code on influencers who drive travel and we’re giving you the details. Hint: How you vetted influencers 2 years ago is not going to deliver results. Here are 6 key indicators that will help you identify influencers who are true travel drivers in 2025.
1. Authority Building: Is the Influencer Training Their Audience to See Them as an Expert?
The number one thing is whether their audience trusts them and sees them as an expert. If their audience doesn’t see them as someone they would ask for advice, then you’ve already lost.
Key Indicators of Authority Building:
- Educational content mix:
Does their content include tips, video guides, and insider knowledge. Is there enough substance to the content that they would be the first place someone would go to if they were looking for travel advice?
- Proof of expertise:
It’s ok to not use travel influencers. In fact, sometimes we recommend it, but the influencer should travel enough that their audience trusts them to provide good recommendations.
- Audience trust indicators: Comments asking for advice on any topic, not solely travel. Definitely check their story content for audience interaction as well. Check their comment section for people tagging the creator asking for advice.
Red Flags:
- Only aesthetic content with no substance:
Pretty content can stop the scroll, but if the account lacks substance, you’ll end up with an audience that likes to look at pretty pictures and not people who are travelers or trust the person enough to supply travel recommendations.
- Generic captions that could apply to any destination:
Captions should provide value and drive search results for a destination. If the influencer’s captions are just a short sentence or you could swap out the destination mentioned for any other destination, you’re not going to get as much mileage out of the content as you could.
2. Strategic Directing: Are They Actively Guiding Their Audience to Take Action?
If an influencer’s audience isn’t used to taking action, such as commenting on a post for a link, even the best strategy won’t convert.
Key Indicators:
- Clear calls-to-action:
A good portion of their posts and stories have a call to action where followers can learn more, make a purchase, sign up for more information, etc. Everyone has a link in their bio but if they’re not directing people there or better yet, using DM automation, they are not going to driving action from their audience.
- Strategic link placement:
They have links in bio, use DM automation on travel guide posts or IG Stories, and post links on their IG Stories. Having a way to sign up for emails is also a good indicator. If an influencer is already sharing itineraries and travel suggestions with their audience that’s a great indicator of successfully driving action.
- Urgency creation:
Do they show that they can create urgency, and their audience acts on it? Are they posting limited-time offers, and you see people responding for more information? Both are great indicators of driving action and trust.
Red Flags:
- DM Automation without real interaction:
Look at the comments, if an influencer has DM automation on a post, but none of the comments are requests for more information, the influencer isn’t driving action.
- Low clicks on IG Stories links:
You want demonstrated action; if no one is clicking on their links they may not be the best choice if you are looking for someone to drive action.
3. Value vs. Fluff: Substance Over Pretty Pictures
Content that drives real impact goes beyond pretty pictures by providing substance, including practical tips, honest reviews, problem-solving insights, and insider knowledge that travelers actually use and share.
Value-Driven Content Examples:
- Practical information:
With the algorithm shifts that have taken place this year on social, shares have become a key metric to increase all other social metrics. Lucky for you, we have found that content that gets shared is also content that drives travel. Content that will increase your reach and drive travel is relatable and has substance: Travel costs, logistics, timing, lists of the best things to do, tips for traveling with kids, experiences that are unique to the destination, what to pack, etc.
- Honest reviews:
We don’t trust people who never post their true opinions. Do they have honest reviews of some of the places they have visited? In addition to what can’t be missed in a destination, do they also tell their audience what they can skip or is overhyped?
- Problem-solving content:
Stomach problems, traveling with allergies, logistical issues, etc. are all things that people encounter while traveling and is high-value content.
- Insider tips:
Are they sharing things and unique experiences that other people aren’t? Do you feel like you’re learning new things when you view their content? Are they a true storyteller who is going to make people watch to the end of the video?
Fluff Content Examples:
- Lack of substance:
The influencers content is only posed photos with generic captions or 10-second videos that are a mashup of pretty images.
- No practical information or actionable advice:
Can you view their content and feel like you know enough to want to learn more or know enough to add a place or experience to their own travel plans?
- Unrealistic portrayals without acknowledging challenges:
Is their content edited to show only the aesthetic parts of a place or experience and not mentioning the 7-hour car ride or the fact that they had to wait in line for 3 hours to get the picture?
4. They Have Curated an Experience for Their Followers.
We don’t mean that they offer group trips or events, although that does signal high trust. We mean, is their profile and content something people want to be part of? Do all the parts work together to draw people in and keep them engaged. If they truly have a curated experience, you’ll see higher engagement rates on posts and higher conversion rates.
Signs of Curation:
- Comprehensive guides or content series:
Do they have bingeable mini-series that make you want to learn more? Are they linking their Reels or TikTok’s together? Do they have downloadable content? Do they interact with their followers in their stories on a daily basis or only when working on a paid promotion?
- Community building:
Have they built a community around their personal brand? Do users interact with each other and post their own content about the community?
5. Audience Relationship and Engagement Quality
Influencers have a relationship with their audience; content creators do not. There are places in your strategy for both influencers and creators, but if you are expecting to drive travel from a collaboration, you need an influencer. They have solid relationships with their audience, and it’s a high-trust environment.
Relationship Indicators:
- High-quality comments:
Detailed questions, personal stories, genuine engagement with in feed posts and IG Stories.
- Response rate:
Creator actively responds to comments and DMs. If working with a Macro creator they may not respond to all DMs but they will respond to recurring themes and questions in stories.
- Repeat engagement:
You should see the same usernames appearing regularly in comments and those usernames should not only belong to other travel influencers. If you see this, it means the influencer has followers who are invested in the community and relationship.
6. Barrier Identification and Problem-Solving
The best influencers know their audience well enough to address questions and barriers directly in the content. Do they talk through budget, logistics, safety, and any other questions their audience might have?
Common Travel Barriers They Should Address:
- Budget concerns: How much does the trip cost? Is this something that is doable for me and my budget? How much did they spend on their flight, stay, food, and experiences?
- Time constraints:
Is this a trip I can take in a weekend? How many days is optimal and what is the minimum amount of days that would make the travel worth it?
- Safety worries:
Is this a family-friendly trip? Safe for solo travelers? LGBTQ travelers? Is it accessible for those with accessibility needs?
- Planning overwhelm:
Taking a trip somewhere you have never been can be overwhelming. Does the influencer provide guides, booking links, and an easy path to plan their own trip?
Making the shift to influencers who drive action does take extra vetting time, but being able to communicate the true impact of your influencer collaborations on travel is worth it. The vetting criteria above will also lead you to influencers who will expand your reach because they are truly creating incredible content. It’s a win-win!
