From increasing brand awareness through storytelling to accessing specific creators' audiences, there are plenty of reasons why brands invest in influencer brands trips.
Whether you follow your favorite influencers and brands on TikTok or watch their YouTube channels, you may have seen them go on brand trips . Brand trips are when a brand invites a content creator or group of influencers to experience a place and/or products.
Brand trips can span two days or last several weeks. Brands have different objectives for hosting trips. From increasing brand awareness through storytelling to accessing specific creators' audiences and building relationships with them, there are plenty of reasons why brands invest in inviting creators on a trip. As a full-time creator, I've been on three brand trips in the last two months. I spent nine days in Peru with Intrepid as part of a tour group, one week in Tokyo with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines with a group of influencers, and a solo weekend with Travel Portland.Paid vs. Gifted Brand Trips In 2025, brands are offering both paid and gifted brand trips. Content creators and influencers may receive payment in the form of the experience itself, as brands offer to cover expenses such as flights, lodging, transportation, and meals. Brands are also paying influencers to participate in brand trips, as many of these trips come with a required statement of work. Influencers may be necessary to create and post a set of deliverables within a specified timeframe.In my last three brand trips, all my brand partners have requested short-form video content. Most brands are still prioritizing short-form videos . However, depending on the creators' channels and platforms, brands may still request that photos.Emma Cortes Ellendt @emmasedition in collaboration with Intrepid. Sharing the Classic Peru TripIn addition to agreeing to the required deliverables, content creators and influencers still must work towards a timeline. During my nine-day trip to Peru with Intrepid, I submitted Instagram story content daily for approval. I also created multiple flights of content. If you have content going live each day, you're balancing the daily itinerary with capturing content, editing, writing copy, and sending in the content. Staying organized with your content during a brand trip is also helpful. For my brand campaigns and trips, I use Google Drive to store each brand campaign, creating a separate folder for each deliverable. That way, a brand knows exactly where each required asset is located.Depending on the brand's budget and the length of the brand trip, brands may cover flights, transportation, food, activities, and lodging. Brands may or may not cover the cost of a plus-one. If you're a content creator invited on a brand trip, it's helpful to ask what will be covered by the brand. For example, for my partnership with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, I was allowed to bring a plus-one to help me shoot content. We had a jam-packed schedule exploring Tokyo, and it made a world of difference having my photographer help me shoot short-form videos and photos at each location.Brand trips may occur due to a product launch, a new flight route, a new partnership with another business, or a city or region seeking to build awareness and increase tourism. Brands may reach out directly or via their public relations agencies. For my partnership with Travel Portland, their objective is to promote their current partnership and weekend giveaway with the Little Free Library. As a Seattle-based content creator, I encouraged my audience to look for the golden bookmarks in Little Free Library locations around Seattle to win a weekend getaway in Portland.Brand itineraries vary greatly. Some brands may have every meal, activity, and transportation planned out daily. Other brands may provide a recommended list of things to do in their city or region, leaving it up to the creator's discretion to determine what to experience, film, and share. For my nine-day trip to Peru with Intrepid, I was the only content creator in the tour group. My sister and I accompanied our tour group throughout the entire trip. While we had a few free afternoons and evenings, we experienced Machu Picchu, wandered around Lima, and explored Lake Titicaca as a tour group.... MoreI spoke with Travel Portland, Alaska Airlines, and Intrepid Travel to offer both the creator and brand perspectives.Travel Portland Created its "Golden Bookmark to Portland" campaign to elevate a part of the city's culture that is often overlooked: its literary scene. "We wanted to showcase Portland’s vibrant spirit, diverse culture, and particularly our literary scene," said Sylvia Choi from Travel Portland. "We created space for broader storytelling—inviting creators to connect with the city through their lens, whether that was books, neighborhoods, or food."saw the launch of its first international route from Seattle to Tokyo as a milestone worth amplifying. "Influencers help us reach audiences in a non-traditional, authentic way," said April Johnson, Senior Manager of Brand Marketing at Alaska Airlines. "It's not just about the experience in the air — it's about making peoplehas been exploring influencer marketing for a decade, but now approaches it with more structure and global strategy. "We see influencer marketing as part of a broader storytelling ecosystem — one that helps us grow, strengthen, and protect the brand," said Mikey Sadowski, VP of Global Communications. "It's about trust, relevance, and long-term value."@annamaegroves, @emmasedition, @fromsarahsleeve, @tcpenny, and @the.brettbrown.Across the board, brand partners emphasized the alignment of values over vanity metrics."We're looking for alignment — creators who naturally fit Portland's culture," Sylvia said. "That could be a book lover, a plant parent, a thrifting enthusiast, or a foodie.""We look at everything from location and reach to content style and brand fit," said April. "For Tokyo, we prioritized creators tied to Seattle or the Pacific Northwest. But being easy to work with also matters — that kind of professionalism goes a long way.""We select creators based on how well they reflect our values: impactful, real, together," said Mikey. "We aim for representation across our six traveler personas and prioritize inclusive storytelling, with at least 50% BIPOC participation in influencer campaigns."How do brands know a trip is successful? All three brands measure both traditional and deeper engagement metrics as well as impact and reach. Travel Portland tracks reach, saves, and shares—but also values how well content tells the city's story and sparks ongoing creator advocacy. Alaska Airlines looks at earned media value, watch time, and how creator content performs in paid ads. Intrepid focuses on both brand lift and how content supports the full customer journey—from discovery to word-of-mouth referrals.All three brands encourage creators to pitch with intention and strategy."Keep your media kit to 1–2 pages. Show you've done your homework," said Sylvia. "Highlight past content that aligns with our city, and suggest how your story fits with Portland.""Tell us what campaign you're interested in and share an idea. Even something like, 'I saw you launched a new route to Seoul, and I'd love to create beauty content there' — that stands out," said April."Be intentional. Be clear about what you want to create and why it benefits our audience," said Mikey. "We're already planning 2026, but we're always open to great pitches that fit the brand." Whether you're preparing for your first brand trip or looking to pitch for the next one, understanding how brands think is essential. Brand trips are more than bucket-list experiences — they're strategic partnerships rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and the power of storytelling.
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