
Industry veterans launch Nfluenc, world’s first insider guide for travel’s burgeoning influencer distribution channel
Nfluenc helps travel brands and influencers navigate fast-growing marketplace
Responding to the dramatic rise in opportunity that influencers are bringing to the global travel marketplace, a group of industry veterans launched Nfluenc, the world’s first news source aimed at helping travel creators and experience providers unlock new opportunities in this burgeoning distribution channel.
“Nfluenc” represents an innovative collaboration between the travel journalism media venture Travel Essential, co-founded by Jeri Clausing and Barbara DeLollis, and Jerne, the leading marketplace connecting travel creators and experience providers, co-founded by Tim Morgan and Ryan McElroy. Their combined expertise allows them to present unrivaled insights into this fast-growing and inclusive business.
Most commonly associated with “social media influencers”, the fast-growing creator economy also includes photographers, writers, bloggers – anyone who creates and shares marketing content for the purpose of selling a good or service. The creator economy is just 12 years old and yet already is an estimated $100 billion industry with, according to Adobe, 303 million people producing all types of marketing content for Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms. Travel industry marketers are increasingly seeking to join forces with creators to engage consumers across the travel journey – especially now that the world is emerging from COVID-era isolation.
Nielsen, in its recent Annual Marketing Report, found that global marketing social media spend will increase by 53% in 2022 – more than any other channel – and that 71% of consumers trust advertising opinions and product placement from content creators.
In another recently-released report, Stelico Consulting Group found that 76% of luxury travelers with a household income of $100,000 or more selected their hotel brand, cruise line or airline based on social media, while 60% said they have purchased travel based on a social media post by a celebrity or influencer.