Big Shift for Small Destinations: 8 Reasons to Engage Influencers

Lesser-known destinations need to bet bigger on influencers, but not because traditional media is irrelevant. It’s a game of numbers where massive investments in media relations don’t yield the same amount of media results they once did. A few national “Best Places” lists and morning TV show mentions are making smaller splashes in a widening media pool.

Influencers and content creators, however, are making waves for destinations that build them into a core strategy to reach younger travelers. As media consumption changes, so must any DMO’s approach to attracting new travelers. Depend only on glossy magazines to inspire visitation and you’ll see your visitation numbers sinking fast.

Here’s why.

1. Well-known and Well-funded Destinations Dominate Traditional Media

Another article about Paris? Editors, producers and publishers have limited space and big pressures, which is why they need “name recognition” destinations on covers to drive clicks and sales. They often default to heavy-hitter cities and regions with strong advertising support.

Long-lead magazines and travel TV shows need simple story packaging like “Florida’s Beaches” or “Wine Country Weekends.” Smaller destinations occasionally break through, but it requires a longer, costly chase for coverage. It also means accepting that your destination will be one of many listed on a round-up.

Meanwhile, big-budget destinations are layering ads on top of that coverage—retargeting, sponsored sections, native content—so even when you do get ink, you’re often overshadowed by their presence.

Influencers flip that dynamic.

2. Influencers Let Small Destinations Shine

When you invite a creator to your destination, you’re not fighting for three lines in a multi-country feature. You are the main story.

A single trip can yield perennial content including photo carousels, Reels, TikToks, vlogs and “what to do in X” guides that provide steady traffic. These Saved Stories and Highlights project the authenticity and transparency that today’s young travelers crave.

Creators’ stories don’t compete for space with Paris or New York. Their audiences see you as a main character, not a sidekick.

3. Creators Inspire Younger Travelers

It sounds dated saying it, but Millennials and Gen Z are rarely relying on traditional media for travel inspiration. Instead, they look to social feeds and creators they trust, in addition to friends and family. Down the pole, Google and OTAs are guiding decisions well ahead of traditional media.

These are the travelers you want if you’re thinking about lifetime value, so meet them where they are. Creators love being the first in their circle to “discover” somewhere, and audiences love feeling like they’ve found something special before it blows up.

Traditional media tends to follow what’s already hot. Influencers can make something hot.

4. Influencers Offer Niche Starring Roles

Stop competing with big capital cities for general “city break” coverage. Instead, own specific niches via influencers.

Be an outdoor adventure capital by featuring “soft adventure” with comfort. Become a new food and drink magnet by highlighting regional cuisine. Any destination can develop a strong culture and history angle with its Indigenous experiences and historic districts.

By partnering with creators whose audiences are obsessed with these niches, you’re plugging into pre-qualified passion.

When you own “small-town foodie escape” or “East Coast weekend hikes,” you’re not the shadow of bigger destinations. You’re dominating your own lane.

5. Creator Budgets Go Further

Traditional media buys gobble up budgets with a single national ad or TV spot. Even digital placements add up when you factor in creative production.

By contrast, micro and mid-tier influencers (10K–150K followers) deliver higher engagement rates among a more concentrated audience. They negotiate reasonable partnership costs or hosted-trip arrangements.

For the cost of one small traditional ad, a small destination can potentially host multiple creators in different seasons. It’s the prudent move to make a more targeted impact per dollar.

6. Influencer Content Lives Beyond Campaigns

Impactful press coverage and TV spots may live on digitally, but they are easily lost and forgotten after their initial runs. Influencer content, by comparison, lives continuously on profiles and feeds. And it’s always in front of audiences who care.

Your destination’s story gets saved, shared and resurfaced by algorithms months later. It can be repurposed by your destination (with proper rights) across your own channels.

More than short-term exposure, you’re building an evergreen content library with assets for website hero imagery and landing pages, organic social content, newsletters, travel trade presentations and B2B sales decks.

Traditional media gives a mention. Creator programs offer both buzz and assets.

7. “Iffy” Metrics Are an Excuse, Not a Justification

Influencer metrics can be messy, but destinations don’t need a perfect attribution model to shift budget intelligently.

Instead, use unique URLs, UTM codes and promo codes for each creator. Track search and web traffic spikes during and after campaigns. By watching social follower growth, email sign-ups and guide downloads, you can assess impact more readily.

Even simple directional dashboards can show which creators drive the most high-intent behavior and which types of stories lead to action. You can get a feel for which markets show the biggest response to tailor your approach.

For a small destination, that’s often more actionable than a “circulation: 500,000” on a print tear sheet.

8. Evolve Strategy, Don’t Abandon the Press

Traditional media still matter for credibility with certain stakeholders. Major media awards and lists provide third-party validation that even influencers appreciate. The possibility for long-form storytelling in high-prestige outlets is massively valuable.

But for a destination with limited dollars, it’s not always feasible. If you spend disproportionately on channels only to be overshadowed, it’s time to reevaluate. A smarter mix for small destinations might include trimming low-performing or vanity spends like generic print ads or one-off sponsorships.

Protect your high-impact wins in trade press and top-tier publications, then evolve your influencer investment each year to expand your footprint where it matters.

The Bottom Line

Small destinations won’t win a volume war in traditional media against big-budget competitors. But you can win a story war in the influencer space. Be present where younger travelers discover their next trip, and where your destination doesn’t have to share the spotlight with global icons.

Investing more in influencers to complement traditional media outreach is an effective strategy to dominate channels where your size, authenticity and uniqueness are advantages.

Interested in stepping up your influencer game? It’s less of a good idea and more of an imperative. Get in touch with Karyl Leigh Barnes at karyl.barnes@aboutdci.com to learn more about DCI’s influencer marketing strategies.