Influencers are essential for reaching travelers

Guest expectations are higher than ever. Lucky for you, technology and smart marketing strategies can help you stay one step ahead. This week, we learn about how chatbots are becoming essential in modern hospitality, providing instant support and streamlining guest interactions. Meanwhile, luxury hotels are setting the gold standard in handling complaints with swift resolutions and personalized care. And, if you’re not leveraging influencer marketing yet, you could be missing out on a powerful revenue driver. But first: forget hotel buyouts—luxury travelers are now renting entire towns for next-level exclusivity.

Bringing stories to life. Playwrights, poets and authors have long sought refuge to create. Enjoy literary history where some of the world’s most famous words were inspired or penned at the best hotels for bibliophiles.

A visual journey of Black hotel ownership. In his forthcoming book, Hidden Hospitality, Calvin Stovall shares an untold perspective of history through personal stories of Black hoteliers who built remarkable businesses despite the odds.

Turning the traditional hotel model upside down. Guests are chasing personalized experiences harder than ever, and Graduate Hotels has proven that tying into local culture is immensely rewarding.

A concierge’s new best friend. Skip the Google search on the next city you’re visiting and head straight to a daily local news podcast and newsletter instead.

We’ve come a long way, baby. The American Hotel & Lodging Association released its 2024 State of the Industry report, where you’ll find useful hospitality industry intel at a glance.

'Influencer marketing has become essential for reaching and engaging travelers'

Wendy Song Dowling is the co-founder of Evolusen, an innovative influencer marketing platform designed for the hospitality and travel industries. With a mission to make influencer marketing more efficient and authentic, she leverages her industry knowledge to help brands connect with the right influencers seamlessly. Here, she shares how influencers deliver experience-driven content, how to maximize social media impact and why the key factor to influencer marketing isn’t size, but having a story or experience that resonates with potential guests. -Jennifer Glatt

What is the benefit of hospitality brands working with influencers?

Influencers bring experiences to life in a way that traditional advertising cannot. Today’s travelers don’t just want to be sold to—they seek authentic, personalized recommendations that feel relevant to them. Instead of a generic ad, potential guests see real people immersing themselves in a destination, hotel or dining experience, helping them visualize what their own trip could be like before making travel and booking decisions. Influencers create engaging, experience-driven content that resonates with audiences who trust their opinions. 

How do you know when your brand is "big enough" to warrant influencer involvement?

It’s not about how big your brand is—it’s about whether influencer marketing aligns with your business goals. Influencer marketing can be effective at any stage as long as there’s a clear brand identity and something valuable to showcase. Whether you’re a boutique hotel or a growing destination, the key factor isn’t size but having a story or experience that resonates with potential guests. Travelers are looking for unique, authentic experiences, and the right influencer can bring those stories to life in a way that connects with their audience.

What are common challenges that hotels face with influencers?

One of the biggest challenges hotels face is influencer’s account authenticity—many influencers artificially inflate their accounts with fake followers and engagement, essentially lying to hotels for hosted stays, experiences and payment. Evolusen solves this by using advanced analytics to flag inauthentic accounts, ensuring that hotels only work with credible influencers. Manually researching and engaging with influencers can take hours; Evolusen streamlines this by connecting hotels with a pre-vetted network of influencers specializing in travel, lifestyle and food content and an influencer relationship management platform to reduce up to 80% of the time on manual tasks that are not relationship or experience-focused. Lastly, measuring ROI has always been tricky in influencer marketing. Evolusen helps hotels track campaign performance, providing data-driven insights that make it easier to assess the real impact of influencer collaborations.

How has influencer marketing in hospitality changed, and where is it headed?

As travel behavior shifts, hotels are increasingly focused on attracting leisure guests. The best way to attract these guests and stand out from the competition is to invest more in social media, which has surpassed paid search as the world’s largest advertising channel. Influencer marketing is one of the most effective ways to maximize social media impact, essential for reaching and engaging travelers, while authentically showcasing experiences and connecting with potential guests. It’s no longer a question of whether influencer marketing is here to stay. It's growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.11%, and more hospitality brands are investing heavily in this strategy. The real question is how to take full advantage of it. This growth is driven by changes in social media algorithms, evolving content types and shifting collaboration methods. As influencer marketing for hospitality is still in its early stages, it will become the primary marketing method on social media.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Curvilinear comfort

Research shows that sharp angles in a space might subtly increase our baseline level of anxiety, while curves set us at ease. Hotel designers are taking those findings to heart, creating spaces that promote feelings of relaxation and novelty.

Why it matters: Curvilinear design can inspire guests to linger longer in your hotel. Environmental and design psychologist Sally Augustin, Ph.D.—founder of Design with Science and author of Designology: How to Find Your PlaceType & Align Your Life With Design—works with builders to create retreats that foster feelings of well-being and positive mental states. To put guests at ease and help them release tension, Dr. Augustin recommends her clients incorporate shapes and patterns that mimic organic, soft, round forms found in nature. (Well+Good)

Above: The ME hotel in Dubai. (Courtesy)

Chatbots: upgrading the guest experience

The devil is always in the details, but chatbots are a godsend when it comes to arrival date confirmation, reservation setup and shrinking the time it takes to check in and out. Major brands and management companies agree that chatbots’ prevalence—and utility—are increasing, calling them an “essential tool.”

Why it matters: Automation reduces low-level manual tasks and increases end-user experience. Tammy Moses, Aimbridge Hospitality's vice president of operational excellence, says chatbots "aren’t just about efficiency anymore, they’re about creating meaningful interactions. [With them], we can now make a great first impression before the guest even steps foot on the property." (CoStar)

How high-end hotels handle complaints

Exceptional service in luxury hospitality isn’t just about exceeding expectations—it’s about how brands recover when something falls short, notes Dubai-based front office manager Tarek Moustafa. Top hotel brands have developed distinct strategies to resolve guest complaints with speed, empathy and personalized care.

Why it matters: Resolving challenges well can lead to loyalty-building moments. Leading luxury hotel brands prioritize active listening and emotional connection, offer a personalized resolution and leave guests with a lasting sense of care and appreciation. Take a page from the strategy playbook that Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and The Peninsula utilize to solve snafus. (LinkedIn)

Architecting memorable experiences

As a partner at Sandstone Hospitality, Bobby Quintal is bolstering boutique hotel hospitality through careful attention to connection. By prioritizing emotion over transactions, the subtle art of storytelling through place weaves a compelling tale for guests.

Why it matters: Telling the story of a property is “incredibly important,” says Quintal. “Knowing where to be creative and whimsical with the story, and then letting the space tell the story of history and of itself” is a delicate balance that, when reached, allows the space to write the story in the guest’s mind. (Behind the Stays) 

💯 Enjoying Mint Pillow? Share it with a friend.
👋 Have a story idea or want to say hello? Email us at newsletter@mintpillow.co