Influencer Marketing in Tourism 2026: Costs, ROI & Case Studies for DMOs

Influencer marketing in tourism is the strategic collaboration between a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) or Tourism Board and a travel creator: The creator translates travel experiences into credible content, distributes it to a suitable target group, and makes the impact measurable via platform data. In short: Tourism boards gain reach and usable content when the target group, format, usage rights, and KPIs are clearly defined before the campaign launch.

Over 4 million Instagram followers. 82 countries visited. 500+ brand collaborations — including Tourism New Zealand, Visit Saudi, Go Türkiye, Visit Colombia, and many other international tourism boards. This is the reach you can achieve as a Tourism Board You can achieve this by collaborating with Max Haase, the most influential German travel influencer and one of the most influential in Europe.

Influencer marketing KPIs in tourism at a glance

The figures are supported by screenshots from Instagram Insights, broken down by format. More on the process in the Guide to collaborating with influencers.

Influencer marketing in tourism has become the most effective channel for modern destination marketing in recent years. A professional destination marketing creator and travel influencer from Europe combines organic reach with data-driven storytelling. Consumers and travelers now trust authentic recommendations from travel creators more than traditional advertising. Tourism boards worldwide, from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia to Colombia, are therefore relying on collaborations with travel influencers who make their destinations tangible and bookable. In this guide, you'll learn how professional travel influencer campaigns work, which strategies are effective, and what measurable results real tourism board campaigns with Max Haase have already achieved.

Why Tourism Boards will rely on travel influencers in 2026

Today, travelers research on Instagram first before booking a trip. They follow travel creators, are inspired by their destination suggestions, and base their booking decisions on authentic reviews. Traditional tourism marketing—TV commercials, print ads, glossy brochures—barely reaches this modern customer journey anymore.

The limits of traditional destination marketing

• Loss of trust: Consumers and travelers know that advertising photos are staged. A perfectly retouched hotel image creates skepticism instead of enthusiasm.
• High wastage: Traditional media reach millions of people, but few of them actually plan a trip to your destination.
• No engagement: Print and TV are one-way streets — no comments, no saves, no community interaction, no viral effects.
• No long-term value: Once the ad is no longer running, the visibility disappears. No SEO effect, no organic follow-up on social media platforms.

Tourism New Zealand

Destination campaign in New Zealand in collaboration with @purenewzealand (Tourism New Zealand). The campaign achieved measurable results across all channels:

• Reel "Active Side of New Zealand" — 2.6 million views, 66,400 likes, 302 comments
• Reel "Roadtrip Through New Zealand" — 3.5 million views, 73,700 likes, 257 comments
• Slideshow post "My favorite highlights" — 1.7 million views, 48,400 likes, 221 comments
• 18+ Instagram Stories in real time over 11 days — cumulatively approx. 2 million story impressions.

Combined reach of all formats: approximately 9.8 million views (2 Reels + 1 Post + 18 Stories), 188,500 likes and 780 comments.

Visit Saudi

Destination campaign in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with @visitsaudi (Visit Saudi). Campaign results:

• Reel 1 — Visit Saudi — 4.5 million views, 123,565 likes, 358 comments
• Reel 2 — Visit Saudi — 2.8 million views, 83,245 likes, 406 comments
• 15 Instagram Stories — 120,000–170,000 views each, totaling approximately 2.2 million story impressions.

Combined reach of all formats: approximately 9.5 million views total (Reels and Stories by Max; 4.5M + 2.8M Reels + approx. 2.2M Story impressions), 206,810 likes and 764 comments.

Likes and comments are publicly visible on the Instagram profile @_maxhaase_ . The view and story reach figures are taken from the account's Instagram Insights and are documented with screenshots in the report after each campaign.

Tourism Boards with which Max Haase has already collaborated

The following tourism boards and destination marketing organizations already rely on the reach and content quality of Max Haase:

• Tourism New Zealand 🇳🇿
• Visit Saudi 🇸🇦
• Go Türkiye 🇹🇷
• Visit Colombia 🇨🇴
• Visit Morocco 🇲🇦
• Armenia Tourism 🇦🇲
• Basque Country 🇪🇸
• Gateway Brazil 🇧🇷
• Visit Nicaragua 🇳🇮

… as well as many other international Tourism Boards and DMOs — a total of over 30 Tourism Boards from 82 countries visited.

Why Tourism Boards worldwide work with Max Haase

There are many travel influencers. What makes a professional collaboration with Max Haase truly valuable for your tourism board?

• 4 million+ Instagram followers: Reach unattainable with traditional tourism marketing at comparable costs. Verifiable live on @_maxhaase_.
• Approximately 2.6 million average views per Reel: a figure derived from Instagram Insights of the last twelve months, as found in the Media Kit on the Collaboration page Visible. Your campaign will not only be run, but also seen by an audience that regularly watches Max's Reels.
• 82 countries visited: Real travel experience on every continent. Max knows the customer journey of international travelers firsthand.
• Premium production from a single source: drone, camera with professional lenses, action cam for action shots — complete photo, video and drone production without an external crew. This saves your tourism board the logistics and coordination costs of a full-service film crew.
• Multilingual content: Content in German and English — you reach both the affluent DACH target group and an international audience with a single creator.
• Couple option with Janet Dannehl: Book Max + Janet As a Travel Couple, you can reach a combined audience of over 6 million followers from two perspectives — perfect for destinations that want to target couples or families.
• SEO-optimized blog content: Upon request (available as an add-on or included in the premium package), the campaign will also appear as a detailed travel report (3,000+ words) on max-haase.com — permanent content that generates organic traffic for your destination for years to come.
• 10+ years of experience as a travel creator: Over 500 successful brand collaborations give you the assurance that your campaign will be professionally planned, implemented and reported.

4 Strategies for Successful Travel Influencer Campaigns

The most effective influencer collaborations in tourism follow a clear pattern. Here are the strategies that have been particularly successful in my previous Tourism Board campaigns:

Strategy 1: The Multi-Day Destination Campaign

Strategy 2: The Long-Term Ambassador Partnership

Instead of a one-off campaign, your tourism board collaborates with a creator for 3, 6, or 12 months. The travel influencer visits your destination multiple times, at different times of the year, and becomes an authentic brand ambassador. The community develops a genuine connection to the destination—and each return visit strengthens credibility. This strategy is particularly effective if the creator also maintains highlight reels and bio mentions for the full contract term.

Strategy 3: The Content-First Approach

Some tourism boards hire a creator primarily for content production—not just for reach. You receive high-quality drone footage, photos, and videos that your tourism board can use on its own channels, website, in print materials, and in advertising campaigns. This is particularly attractive if you also want to expand your owned media library with professional material.

Strategy 4: The Couple Campaign with Max & Janet

Travel Couples offer a unique package: double the reach, double the perspective (male and female), and cross-promotion between two accounts. With Max Haase and Janet Dannehl as a Travel Couple, you reach a combined audience of over 6 million followers. This form of collaboration is particularly effective for destinations targeting couples, honeymooners, or families.

What tourism boards should avoid in influencer collaborations

Not every influencer collaboration in tourism is a success. These are the five most common mistakes — and how to avoid them:

Mistake 1: Only looking at follower numbers

Follower counts alone don't tell the whole story—the combination of reach AND engagement rate is crucial. A mega-creator with over 4 million followers and an engagement rate significantly above the industry average will deliver the greatest impact: maximum visibility for your destination, coupled with a community that actively likes, comments, and saves content. Always ask for the current media kit with verified audience data, engagement statistics, and reference campaigns with other tourism boards.

Mistake 2: Too much creative control

Tourism boards that dictate every word, approve every image crop, and control every posting time end up with stiff content that fails to engage either the community or the algorithm. Trust the creator—they know their community better than any marketing agency. A good briefing defines goals and key messages while allowing room for authentic execution.

Mistake 3: Unrealistic expectations of direct bookings

Travel influencer marketing is primarily an awareness and consideration channel. Anyone expecting thousands of instant bookings after a single story will be disappointed. The effect is more long-term: your destination lands on your followers' mental "bucket lists" and is considered when planning their next trip—often months or even years later.

Mistake 4: Bartering instead of professional cooperation

Mistake 5: One-off deals instead of a long-term strategy

A single campaign is like a single TV commercial: it creates a brief buzz that quickly fades. Tourism boards with the best results think in terms of annual plans: Which creators are right for which season? How can long-term brand ambassadors be cultivated? How do different creator types complement each other throughout the year?

What determines the investment in a travel influencer campaign

One of the most frequent questions tourism boards receive is: What does a professional travel influencer collaboration cost? The honest answer: It depends. The investment depends on several factors that make each campaign unique.

These factors determine the scope of your campaign

• Story set, reel series, multi-day road trip, brand ambassador program — each format has a different production effort and different reach effects.
• Trip duration: A 3-day short visit generates less content than a 10-day multi-day road trip through your destination.
• Number of deliverables: How many Reels, Posts, Stories, Highlight Saves, Blog Articles, Drone Footage, and Photo Libraries do you need?
• Would you like to reuse the content for your own marketing channels, print materials, or paid ads? This is included in an individual license package.
• Couple or solo booking: Booking Max + Janet as a travel couple offers double the reach and two perspectives — the campaign scope is correspondingly larger.
• Travel costs and logistics: flights, premium accommodations, local transfers, insurance, equipment transport — these factors are calculated individually for each Tourism Board campaign.

Compared to traditional tourism marketing—a full-page travel magazine ad, a regional TV spot, or a trade fair appearance at ITB—a travel influencer campaign is, in most cases, the more efficient investment. You get measurable reach, ongoing content for owned media, an engaged community, and long-term SEO benefits through accompanying blog articles.

My management team creates a customized offer for each campaign, perfectly tailored to your goals, timeframe, and budget. Simply contact me via [link/contact information]. Contact form or directly via email to [email protected] with your destination, the planned timeframe and your campaign goals.

Measurement and ROI: How Tourism Boards track success

A common argument against influencer marketing in tourism is: "You can't measure success." This isn't true. Professional travel influencer campaigns deliver detailed KPIs from Instagram analytics—directly with screenshots from the respective creator insights dashboards.

Primary KPIs for your campaign

• Impressions & Reach: How many unique people have seen your content?
• Reel Views & Plays: How many times has your video content been played? (My tourism board reels regularly get millions of plays.)
• Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, and saves in relation to reach
• Story Views & Completion Rate: How many of your story frames are watched to the end?
• Website clicks: Direct clicks to the destination website via link sticker or bio link
• Number of users who saved your post for later (= serious travel interest)

Secondary KPIs for impact analysis

• Brand Lift: Change in brand awareness and perception of your destination (measurable through surveys)
• User-generated content: Do followers create their own content about your destination after the campaign?
• Earned Media Value: What would the same reach have cost through paid advertising?
• Booking referrals: If you use UTM tracking links, you can attribute direct bookings.

Evaluate influencer marketing KPIs along the tourism customer journey

Assign the metrics to the campaign goal during the briefing. For awareness, reach, impressions, reel views, and story views are important. In the consideration phase, comments, interactions, and especially saves show whether people have not only seen the destination but also saved it for a future trip. Link clicks to the destination page represent the next step. Direct bookings can only be accurately attributed if UTM links are used.

A comprehensive final report separates formats and details reach, impressions, saves, link clicks, and interactions for each piece of content. Likes and comments are publicly verifiable; view and story reach are derived from Instagram Insights and documented with screenshots. The Tourism New Zealand campaign achieved approximately 9.8 million views across two Reels, one post, and more than 18 Stories. The Visit Saudi campaign garnered around 9.5 million views across two Reels and 15 Stories. While these figures provide context for reach, they do not replace the analysis of individual campaign objectives.

For collaboration and reporting purposes, the DMO should therefore define responsibilities, measurement periods, and link targets in advance. Further information on the process can be found in the [document/document/document]. Guide to working with influencers for tourism boards.

The international market: Why tourism boards worldwide rely on German travel influencers

International tourism boards particularly like to use German travel influencers like Max Haase for two reasons: the economic importance of the German-speaking source market and the reach of an established mega-creator on the most important social media platforms.

The economic strength of the German-speaking travel market

• Germany is one of the largest source markets for international travel in Europe.
• Individual travel is growing continuously: The core target group of 25-44 year olds is increasingly booking independently and is inspired by travel influencers rather than package holiday catalogs.

Multilingual reach for global tourism boards

Max Haase's content doesn't just reach the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). With English captions, international hashtags, and posts that are also consumed by followers in France, Italy, Brazil, and the USA, his reach is internationally viable. For a global tourism board that wants to address multiple source markets simultaneously, this is a crucial advantage—you reach an international audience with a single campaign instead of just one language area.

Checklist: How to launch your first travel influencer campaign as a tourism board

If you have little experience with travel influencer collaborations, here is a tried and tested 7-step roadmap to getting started with influencer marketing in tourism:

Step 1: Define your target audience

Before you look for a travel influencer, you need to be clear about your target audience. Adventure and experience travelers aged 25–44? Traveling couples? Luxury and premium travelers? Independent travelers who find inspiration through social media? The target audience determines the creator type, the platform, and the appropriate content formats—and a creator who can serve all these segments from a single profile saves you the hassle of coordinating with multiple partners.

Step 2: Define your campaign goals

What do you want to achieve? Pure awareness? More search queries? Direct bookings? Building a content library for owned media? Define 2-3 measurable goals with concrete KPI targets — they will determine the briefing, the campaign strategy, and the reporting.

Step 3: Research and contact suitable travel influencers

The most important selection criteria for a professional travel influencer: verifiable engagement rate from Instagram Insights, professional photo and drone quality at broadcast level, a demonstrable track record with international tourism boards, multilingual content (German + English), accompanying SEO blog content for long-term organic traffic, and the ability to deliver the entire content production in-house—without an external crew. You can contact me directly via the Collaboration page or contact me via email at [email protected] — my management will get back to you as soon as possible.

Influencer marketing selection criteria for tourism and DMOs

Use the same criteria for all candidates during the pre-selection process. Target group fit trumps an isolated follower count: the community's nationality, age, travel motivation, and language must align with the source market and the destination's positioning. The difference between a travel creator and someone with a purely reach-oriented profile is explained by [source missing]. Guide for Brands and Tourism Boards.

• Check target group fit: Do the source market, age, language, travel motivation and type of travel match the DMO strategy?
• Demonstrate true performance: compare current platform data, public post links, and previous case studies instead of just the number of followers.
• Assess content quality: Do the visual language, video, storytelling, and production level match the destination brand?
• Check tourism experience: References with Tourism Boards show whether the creator can professionally handle briefings, travel, approvals and reporting.
• Align the scope of services: Deliverables, channels, publication plan, usage rights and reporting must be clearly defined before the contract is concluded.
• Discuss creative fit: The briefing sets the core message and must-see spots, but leaves room for the creator's credible storytelling.

If these points are correct, the DMO can be accessed via the page Request Collaboration Send a concrete briefing including destination, time period and campaign goals.

Step 4: Develop briefing and campaign concept

A good briefing includes: campaign goal, target audience, key messages, must-visit locations, desired deliverables (number of reels, posts, stories, blog entries), timeline, budget, and usage rights. It also leaves room for the creator's creative interpretation—the best content emerges when the creator can incorporate their own storytelling.

Step 5: Finalize the contract and terms

A professional contract regulates: fees and payment terms, deliverables with deadlines, usage rights (duration, territory, channels), approval process, labeling requirements (#Werbung / #Ad / Paid Partnership Tag).

Step 6: Actively monitor and evaluate the campaign

During the campaign: Quick check-ins, but no micromanagement. After the campaign: Request a report, analyze KPIs, document learnings. What worked particularly well? What would you do differently next time? These insights will inform the next campaign.

Step 7: Think long-term and build ambassadors

The first campaign is a test. If it works: Offer a long-term ambassador contract. The impact multiplies over time—the creator becomes a credible advocate for your destination, not just a one-off advertising face. This is precisely how the most valuable tourism board partnerships are formed.

Book a travel content creator or luxury travel influencer

Those who wish to plan the collaboration in detail can find information on services, processes and references on the booking pages: Book a Travel Content Creator for tourism boards, hotels and brands as well as Book Luxury Travel Influencer for luxury hotels and premium brands.

For hotels, the page Influencer collaboration for hotels describes process, formats and briefing. For campaigns in the German-speaking market, see Hire a German travel influencer. A checklist for the creator briefing is available in the guide: Destination Marketing with Creators.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is influencer marketing in tourism?

Influencer marketing in tourism is the cooperation between tourism boards and travel influencers, where a creator authentically experiences a destination and uses their reach to make the destination known to potential travelers.

Why do tourism boards rely on travel influencers?

Travel influencers reach precisely the target group that makes travel decisions today via social media—based on personal recommendations rather than traditional advertising. A single campaign can achieve several million views, as demonstrated by Max Haase's Tourism New Zealand and Visit Saudi Cases.

How much does a travel influencer campaign cost?

The investment depends on the format, duration, deliverables, and usage rights. My management team creates a customized offer for each campaign—simply contact me with your campaign goals via [link/platform name]. Contact form.

How do I measure the success of a Tourism Board campaign?

I provide data on reach, engagement rate, Reel views, story views, saves, website clicks, and UTM tracking. With my campaigns, you'll receive a detailed report including screenshots from Instagram Insights upon completion.

What KPIs does influencer marketing need in tourism?

For awareness, metrics such as reach, impressions, reel views, and story views are suitable. Comments, saves, and other interactions demonstrate engagement with the destination; link clicks lead to the destination page. UTM links are necessary if direct bookings are to be attributed.

How do DMOs select creators for influencer marketing in tourism?

Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) should first define their target audience and campaign objectives, and then review audience demographics, content quality, verifiable results, and tourism board references. Deliverables, deadlines, usage rights, and reporting obligations should be contractually stipulated.

How many followers does Max Haase really have?

Max Haase currently has over 4 million Instagram followers. @_maxhaase_. The number is verifiable live and is regularly documented in media kits.

Which Tourism Boards has Max Haase already worked with?

Tourism New Zealand, Visit Saudi, Go Türkiye, Visit Colombia, Visit Morocco, Armenia Tourism, Basque Country, Gateway Brazil, Visit Nicaragua — and many more. In total, over 30 Tourism Boards and DMOs from 82 visited countries.

Can I book Max Haase and Janet as a travel couple?

Yes. With Max + Janet as a couple, you reach a combined audience of over 6 million followers from two perspectives — ideal for destinations that want to target couples or families.

How do I book Max Haase for a Tourism Board campaign?

Write about the Collaboration page or by email to [email protected] with your destination, planned timeframe, and campaign goals. My management will get back to you as soon as possible with a customized offer.

Which tourism boards work with travel influencers?

More and more tourism boards and destination marketing organizations worldwide are relying on creator partnerships. Boards I've already worked with include Tourism New Zealand, Visit Saudi, Go Türkiye, Visit Colombia, Visit Morocco, Armenia Tourism, Basque Country, Gateway Brazil, and Visit Nicaragua—over 30 destinations in total. For booking details, please visit the "Book a Travel Content Creator" page. Book a Travel Content Creator.

How does a partnership between the Tourism Board and an influencer begin?

It all starts with defining your target audience and campaign goals. This is followed by selecting suitable creators, a joint briefing including the concept, contract, and usage rights, and then campaign support and evaluation. You can find the individual steps in the checklist above. To get started, simply send an inquiry outlining your destination, timeframe, and objectives: [link to inquiry form]. Regarding the inquiry.

How much lead time does an influencer campaign need for a tourism board?

For planning travel, briefing, and production, you should generally allow 3 to 6 weeks from confirmation to go-live, depending on the destination and scope. The sooner the timeframe, program, and usage rights are finalized, the better the campaign can be integrated into your season.

Conclusion: Tourism boards that now rely on travel influencers are winning.

The transformation in international destination marketing is not a vision of the future—it's happening now. Tourism boards, DMOs, and destination marketing organizations that strategically use professional influencer marketing in tourism achieve measurably better results than those that rely solely on traditional channels.

The formula for success is clear: Work with a travel influencer who combines a reach of millions with an above-average engagement rate, who delivers professional photo, video, and drone production from a single source, who has proven experience with international tourism boards, and who also produces SEO-optimized blog content. Give them creative freedom (briefing yes, script no) and think long-term (ambassadors rather than one-off deals) — as Tourism New Zealand, Visit Saudi, and many other international tourism boards already do.

Read more:

• Tourism Boards & Travel Influencers — The Complete Guide
• Luxury Adventure Travel — The best experiences for discerning travelers
• Cooperation with Tourism Boards — Here's how it works
• What is a travel influencer? — A guide for brands
• Collaboration with Influencers — A Guide for Tourism Boards

About the author

Max Haase

Travel Content Creator · Drone Photographer · Visual Storyteller

A professional travel creator for over 10 years with over 4 million followers. Specializing in high-end tourism board collaborations and visual travel storytelling.

4MFollowers

82Countries

500+Collaborations

10+Years