Why Are Hotels Prioritising Influencers Over Trained Professionals and Travel Writers?

Palazzo Passerini, Cortona, Italy

Influencers walk into hotels today with a level of access once reserved for journalists, travel writers, repeat guests, or senior travel buyers. Some arrive with small followings, some with large ones, but their treatment is often the same. Welcome drinks. Room upgrades. Personal attention. Meanwhile, the staff who have dedicated their careers to the industry stand in the background watching decisions being made that make no sense to them.

This is not an attack on influencers. Many create excellent content, are authentic, real and some of the time their reach is powerful (especially if supported by a blog, otherwise it’s just a flash on social?). They help hotels expand their visibility. But the imbalance has grown so wide that it’s now distorting the culture inside properties. When a guest staying one night receives more attention than the people who run the hotel day after day, something isn’t quite right.

Hospitality professionals train for years. They understand operations, guest psychology, revenue patterns, food and drink challenges and the challenges of a full house. They know how to manage difficult situations and recover service gracefully. They save the day far more often than management realises. Yet when it comes to recognition, they are often overlooked in favour of social exposure.

This creates resentment. It creates a sense of being undervalued. It chips away at pride. You cannot build a strong team when your most seasoned staff feel like an afterthought.

Then comes the layer of marketing. Many hotels rely heavily on AI-generated captions for influencer collaborations. And again you see the same tired language. “Luxury awaits.” “A world of comfort awaits.” “Your perfect stay awaits.” It has become the hospitality version of white noise. It shows no individuality. It shows no care. It shows no respect for the hotel’s personality or the team behind it.

AI is not the enemy. The lack of editing is. The lack of integrity is. There is a difference between using a tool and letting a tool use you.

Travel writers are feeling the impact too. The ones who have spent years on the road, stayed in hundreds of hotels and built their reputation through proper reviews are being pushed aside. These are professionals who know how to judge a stay, write with authority and share insight that comes from real experience. Many run excellent blogs and strong social channels, built slowly and honestly over time. Yet they are often overlooked in favour of flash-in-the-pan influencers who pop up on TikTok, post a few filtered clips and move on. Some of them have no interest in building a career in hospitality or travel writing. They simply want a free stay and a quick burst of content. The industry loses depth when it chooses novelty over knowledge and experience.

Hotels would be far stronger if they invested in their teams with the same enthusiasm they show influencers. Imagine if staff training, mentorship and growth were as prioritised as follower counts. Imagine if the people who work in the hotel were featured as proudly as the content creators who visit it once.

The smartest hotels already understand this. They use influencers strategically, not blindly. They build long-term relationships with content creators who align with the brand and aren’t simply after a quick freebie. They treat their staff with the same respect they show visiting partners. They highlight the expertise of their chefs, housekeepers, spa therapists, designers and managers. They balance visibility with credibility.

Hotels should pay far more attention to seasoned travel writers than influencers because they bring real value and integrity and are trusted by their readers. They understand context. They know how to position a property within the wider market. They can compare it with others they have stayed in and articulate what it does well and where it falls short, what it could do better. Their writing reaches readers who trust them. Their audience cares about more than a pretty video. A thoughtful review has a longer life than a fast reel. It drives considered bookings and greater brand awareness, rather than passing interest. Travel writers bring credibility, depth and long-term benefit. When hotels ignore them, they miss the chance to be seen by people who book based on knowledge and authority, not novelty.

The industry does not need to abandon influencers. It just needs perspective. True hospitality is built on real people and writers with real experience and knowledge. Lifting them up and appreciating them does more for a brand than any viral reel ever will.