Tourexpi
RX’s New Report Highlights the Power of Influencers in Shaping the Future of Travel
This
report sheds light on the profound impact of digital creators on the travel
industry, revealing how influencers are redefining consumer behaviour and
travel trends.
The
Rise of Influencer Marketing: A $24 Billion Industry by Year-End
The
report highlights the meteoric rise of the influencer marketing sector, which
according to The State of Influencer Marketing Report 2024 is
projected to hit $24 billion globally by the end of 2024, a remarkable leap
from $1.7 billion in 2016. This surge underscores the pivotal role influencers
play, with 49% of consumers making purchases based on social media content
monthly, and 86% influenced at least once a year.
Gen
Z: The New Powerhouse in Travel Spending
Gen
Z, poised to control $33 trillion in global income by 2030, is reshaping travel
spending dynamics. This year alone, they’ve outspent all other generations on
travel, averaging $11,766 per person. According to Stuart Flint, Head of Global
Business Solutions for TikTok Europe 71% of European TikTok users actively
search for travel content, and 77% feel inspired to visit destinations they
discover on TikTok.
Success
Stories from RX’s Travel Events
RX’s
travel exhibitions, including World Travel
Market (WTM), Arabian
Travel Market (ATM), and IBTM,
are at the forefront of this digital transformation.
WTM
London, which took place last week, hosts the largest gathering of
international travel media globally, including a growing number of influencers
and content creators.
The
pinnacle of the show’s influencer engagement is the Travel Influencers’ Lunch,
an exclusive event introduced in 2023, attracting 145 influencers and 45
exhibitors and offering a unique platform for networking and collaboration.
ATM
Exhibition Director Danielle Curtis has acknowledged the value of tapping into
this dynamic community. The cornerstone of ATM’s new programme, she said, will
be the ‘Informal Influencer Speed Networking’ event, designed to facilitate
meaningful connections between exhibitors and more than 50 travel influencers
and bloggers.
“This
event aims to create an informal yet conducive environment where exhibitors can
meet influencers to explore potential collaborations,” said Danielle. “The goal
is to foster partnerships that leverage influencers’ reach to enhance brand
visibility and engagement for exhibitors.”
IBTM
World Conference Content Manager Lucy Dyer said the MICE industry is keen to
learn more about influencer impact and strategy via global forums like IBTM
World, with the show looking to experts, as well as leisure travel influencers,
to share advice, best practice and trends.
Image
Credit: © WTM
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