Expedia Reinvents How Travelers Interact With Social Media Content

These days, planning a trip usually requires going to one place for inspiration and ideas: social media. Many also live vicariously through their favorite travel influencers while scrolling on social media. More than that, the way people travel has been heavily impacted by social media — the internet and content creators have essentially become the new travel agents. Third-party booking sites, like Expedia, have stepped in to make traveling the world easier than ever.

“The way people shop has evolved, with almost 80% now finding travel inspiration through social media and influencers,” says Lauri Metrose, senior vice president of global communications at Expedia. “Recognizing the need to meet travelers where they are, we created Travel Shops, the first-of-its-kind shoppable storefront to simplify the travel booking process.”

Travel Shops, available on Expedia.com and Expedia’s app, is a central place for creators to share and organize curated recommendations. Influencers, content creators and branding experts build a customized marketplace where followers and travelers can seamlessly seek out specific destinations and experiences. Then those travelers can book selections from Expedia’s inventory of 3 million properties right then and there. Creators earn commissions on their suggestions when followers book their recommended hotels.

And because Travel Shops was designed with input from creators, the marketplace functions like a social media platform. “No other brand in the travel space has a shoppable marketplace like this,” notes Brett Conti, a travel influencer based in New York City. “And even better, Travel Shops was built based on interviews and feedback from creators like me.”

Oneika Raymond used her Travel Shop to share her personal bucket list of hotels along with her favorite accommodations in Paris and recommendations for places to stay in Marrakech, Morocco, and Aqaba, Jordan. “As a travel storyteller, content creator and educator, it has been an honor to be a part of Expedia’s launch of Travel Shops,” she says. “Travel Shops enables me to not only share, but also show my favorite hotels, destinations and experiences all in one place. This is both an excellent and efficient way to connect with my audience while helping them curate their own memorable travel journeys.”

Similarly, actor Jaime Camil wanted to coordinate his handpicked places for his friends and fans. “I loved creating the Travel Shop with Expedia because my friends are always asking me for recommendations, and now I can share my personal favorites,” he says. “I’m someone that is very particular about where I stay when I’m traveling. I want to feel immersed in the destination and, to me, the quality of the service and amenities can really make or break your trip. My Travel Shop is a mix of beautiful boutique hotels and modern luxury with views, ranging from Paris to Oaxaca, Mexico, and many more spots in between.”

One element that makes Travel Shops stand out is that creators can upload their own property videos and social-first imagery. That means getting a personal look at the hotels and destinations available to book, instead of encountering the same stock photos. Currently, Travel Shops is working with a handful of content creators on an invite-only basis.

Travel influencers are seen as some of the most credible sources for booking advice with up to 69% of consumers trusting influencer recommendations. Setting them up to get credit for their expertise is just one way Expedia is innovating how travel is booked. “Travel Shops is a game changer for influencers, bloggers and just about anyone who loves to travel,” says travel and adventure expert Renee Hahnel. “I love how quick and easy it is for me to share travel recommendations with my personalized Travel Shop. Expedia absolutely crushed it when designing such a user-friendly interface.”

The streamlined experience of Travel Shops is also designed to help cut through misinformation online. Not only does it empower consumers to book directly through their favorite creators, but it also helps influencers earn a fair cut for their work and supports the content creator community.

Variety and Expedia have collaborated to debut Variety’s Travel Shops with recommendations for hotels, venues and experiences during the buzziest times of the year for film and television. “We are thrilled to partner with Variety to showcase their favorite hotels during festival season, alongside over 100 influencers and many other partners as part of our launch phase,” says Metrose.

Next year, any traveler can create their own Shop and monetize their social content. Join the waitlist here.