The Secret Lives of Travel Influencers: What They Don’t Show You

Ever fancied becoming a travel influencer? It’s so exciting to be part of a world where you make your living by exploring the hottest destinations, showcasing your experiences to the world, and of course, not having to be bound by a regular job ever! However, while it does seem like a fabulous life, it’s not all roses and sunshine though. At the same time, not everything that’s made to look easy or seamless is authentic. So, wonder what these hip travel influencers aren’t showing or telling you? Let’s take a look at some of their biggest secrets below.

What Travel Influencers Prefer Keeping Under Wraps

So, let’s get started with all that you’re not being shown by top travel influencers with thousands or even millions of followers on social media platforms.

They Don’t Have A Home Base

A little chat with some full-time influencers on the sidelines, and they’ll let it spill how they don’t really have any home base. Most of them live out of a suitcase, packing everything they need for most trips in one and leaving the rest in storage units.

Most of them take breaks in hotels or Airbnb’s in places that they are comfortable in for about a week or two before they start travelling all over again. Some come back home for about a month or two before leaving again. Many live in home-like serviced apartments in strategic locations. Life on the road isn’t always easy, since you’ll have to get used to not having a home to return to.

Most of Their Photographs Are Heavily Edited

Most of those cool and charming photographs that you see go through a heavy editing process before landing in your feed. Influencers usually spend quite some time at the end of the day, going through their photo reel, filtering out the best ones, and thoroughly editing them with the help of the best software/tools.

Some, of course, believe in keeping it natural, but that’s a rare breed. Many use tools like Adobe Lightroom with presets or saved settings that can be easily applied, like Instagram filters for their photographs.

Many of Them Earn Well

While it may seem that they compete for free perks, discounted stays, offers, and the like, it’s not always that they can’t afford it. Many leading influencers make a handsome living from posting sponsored content (not all of which you realize is) on their Instagram pages, YouTube pages, blogs, etc. They also earn from affiliate links, product placements, and even brand ambassadorships.

Their Trips Are Not Holidays

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that influencers get paid to take vacations! While there are things like sponsored stays and paid opportunities to travel, they come with different terms that influencers have to meet. Influencers may spend a sizable amount of time pitching to various hospitality brands and negotiating deals.

Location scouting, itinerary planning, research, and photo shoot modalities take up a lot of time, not to mention video and photo editing, and uploads at the end of the day. So, they’re essentially working the entire time and it’s NOT the same as relaxing on a vacation. So if you were thinking work-life balance, it’s NON-EXISTENT. Period.

Glamorous Clothing Is Often Not Paid For

You’ll often see travel influencers dressed in their Sunday best or sporting glamorous outfits from top brands. Interestingly, not everything’s paid for by them personally; they could be sponsored for promotional purposes or even rented clothes. Sometimes they’re paid for by hospitality and tourism brands that are sponsoring the influencer and building new content around their offerings or locations.

They Pack & Keep Hoarding Props

What travel influencers also don’t tell you is that they almost always pack photo props like cute bags, hats, etc. Hoarding the same is another habit that they share in common. Many also pack extra sunglasses and watches for photographs, while some borrow flower pots, lights, charming towels, candles, and even cocktails/dishes from hotels.

Issues Keep Cropping Up, But They Don’t Show It

The biggest thing that no travel influencer tells/shows you is that there are a lot of issues cropping up every now and then while they’re travelling. However, they choose not to show it and hustle it out themselves. For starters, think of the sleepless nights, jet lag, fatigue, running through stations and airports, losing valuables, carrying heavy luggage and photography equipment everywhere, and feeling lonely while moving from one hotel to another.

For example, one noted influencer (name not revealed) says how she’s been puked on by children on flights, lost her luggage several times, been robbed on beaches, missed flights or trains, and been stranded in the middle of nowhere due to natural disasters or connectivity breakdowns.

They Aren’t Actual Experts

It may seem like it sometimes, but travel influencers are far from being the actual experts on the locations they visit. However, they do gain more experience and travel insights over time that you may find useful. While they often cover things like wildlife, food, nature, etc., they aren’t always experts and have to do a lot of prior homework and reading that they won’t show you at all.

They Can Be Selective in Reposting/Replying

Travel influencers do not like it when they’re corrected or shown how they’re wrong about something. Many may get offended whenever their mistakes are shown. Hence, they sometimes adopt a selective strategy towards replies or reposts, keeping messages unread for a long time, while reposting and appreciating other stories that were about them regularly. Your message almost NEVER goes unnoticed; they choose to ignore it, especially if it’s about something they got wrong.

They Do Not Stay in the Best Suites/Rooms

Travel influencers showcase the best suites and luxurious hotel rooms to guests, although that’s mostly part of the job brief for a sponsored stay or any other arrangement. They mostly opt for budget stays since they’re frequently on the road. At the same time, some influencers do not even STAY where they claim to, just letting themselves into the shoot at the hotel as part of a prior arrangement without staying there.

The Fabulous Table Spreads Are Not Always As Wonderful

You may see travel influencers sitting down to amazing table spreads with multiple dishes and desserts. However, it’s not always that the food comes at once at a restaurant, right? Influencers keep waiting for the mains to arrive before they start taking photographs. So, the next time you see these gorgeous full tables and meal platters, remember that it may not be as wonderful as you think!

Luxury Hotels Are Not Always Influencer Partners

Five-star and luxury hotels do not always partner with influencers, no matter how legitimate it looks. Influencers often do almost anything for a free night’s stay or meal as per industry experts who do not wish to be named. In fact, many paid brand partnerships are for FMCG products and not the hotels themselves.

Many Influencers Have Other Jobs/Income Sources

Sure, many of them do earn handsomely from their travel assignments, but it can take a long time to add up in terms of building followers, getting paid promotions, affiliate links, etc. Hence, many influencers have other jobs to afford the constant travelling, sometimes working through the night before setting out to showcase new destinations in the morning.

They Don’t Always Fly First Class

Some influencers seem to be flying first class all the time, but that’s far from true! What they don’t tell you that Priority Passes often enable access to many airport lounges while waiting for budget lounges. While some influencers seem to be lounging around with champagne before takeoff, it’s not in the lounge of the same airline at times! It’s designed to make you feel like it’s first class when it may not be.

Engagement Doesn’t Always Go Hand In Hand With Followers

You’ll sometimes find travel influencers with millions of followers/fans online. However, it’ll intrigue you that no one’s ever heard of them in the first place! How does it add up? This is because these are influencers who’ve bought their followers, comments, and likes. How to spot them? Observe the rather monotonous or unimaginative comments on their photos, and frequent comments by influencers in the same category with blue ticks. They’ll be all looking great or cool to help drive engagement. When these influencers don’t pay for post amplification, they’ll only hide their like numbers.

They Don’t Just Quit Work Suddenly and Become Influencers

While some travel influencers may have quit their jobs and taken up exploring full-time, it’s never an impulsive and instant decision! Many have planned their move for days, weeks, months, or even years before taking up this alternate career. There should always be a plan to pay the bills whenever you enter any field with an uncertain income stream. It’s never done instantly!

Concluding Notes

So, now that you’ve got an idea of some of the things that travel influencers don’t tell you and their secret lives- there’s one key takeaway that you’ve got to understand- don’t believe the hype and glamour. Go by the homework, research, and authenticity instead, particularly if you’re drawing inspiration from these influencers in the travel niche. And of course, real engagement (no bought likes or followers) matters more than anything else.