How to Collaborate with Hotels: The Ultimate Guide

Imagine staying in stunning hotels, creating inspiring content, and forming partnerships that elevate your brand—all while enjoying memorable travel experiences.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Collaborating with hotels is a game-changer for creators, providing unique opportunities to grow your portfolio and help hotels boost their visibility.

But here’s the reality: it’s not just about free stays.

Successful collaborations require professionalism, clear value, and the ability to deliver results.

Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just starting out, this guide will walk you through the exact steps to secure and maximize hotel partnerships.

Ready to land your first collaboration? Start by creating a standout media kit with our Media Kit Portfolio Template, and check out our article about how to collaborate with hotels!

Why Collaborating with Hotels is a Game-Changer

Collaborating with hotels is one of the most exciting aspects of travel content creation. It allows creators to explore stunning properties, create exceptional content, and reduce travel costs—all while helping hotels boost their visibility and attract new guests.

But let’s be clear: successful collaborations require effort, professionalism, and clear value. It’s not about freebies; it’s about creating mutually beneficial partnerships.

This guide gives you an introduction to hotel collaborations, from researching properties to securing long-term partnerships.

Quick Summary: The Hotel Collaboration Process

1. Define Your Value: Understand what makes you unique and what you can offer a hotel.
2. Research the Right Hotels: Find properties that match your niche, style, and audience.
3. Craft a Winning Pitch: Write personalized, compelling emails highlighting mutual benefits.
4. Deliver Exceptional Work: Exceed expectations by providing quality content and timely deliverables.
5. Build Relationships: Foster long-term connections for repeat collaborations.

Step 1: Define Your Unique Value Proposition

Before reaching out to hotels, you must understand your unique value proposition (UVP). This is what sets you apart and convinces hotels to collaborate with you.

What you can offer hotels:

• Social Media Exposure: Promote the property on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok.
• High-Quality Content: Provide professional-grade photos, videos, or drone footage.
• Audience Access: Share the hotel with your engaged followers who align with their target market.
• Blog Features: Write detailed reviews or guides showcasing the hotel’s unique offerings.
• Affiliate Marketing: Drive bookings through your affiliate links.

💡 Pro Tip: Even creators with smaller followings can succeed by offering niche audiences or specialized skills like videography or storytelling.

Step 2: Research Hotels That Align with Your Brand

Not every hotel will be a good fit for collaboration. Focus on properties that match your niche and align with your audience’s interests.

Where to start your research:

1. Google Searches: Use terms like “[Destination] hotel collaborations.”
2. Instagram: Search for boutique hotels or resorts in your desired destination.
3. Booking Platforms: Explore listings on Booking.com or Airbnb for properties with availability gaps.
4. LinkedIn: Find PR and marketing contacts at specific hotels or chains.
5. Travel Blogs: Look for reviews with “all opinions are my own” disclosures to identify hotels that collaborate with creators.

Key factors to consider:

• Location: Does the destination fit your travel niche?
• Style: Does the hotel align with your content’s aesthetic?
• Target Audience: Does the hotel’s target demographic match your followers?

💡 Pro Tip: Smaller boutique hotels and independent properties are often more open to collaborations than large chains.

Step 3: Craft a Winning Pitch

Your pitch is your first impression, so it needs to be clear, concise, and focused on what the hotel gains. Avoid generic emails—tailor each pitch to the specific property.

Elements of a Strong Pitch:

1. Subject Line: Make it direct and professional, e.g., “Collaboration Proposal: [Your Name] x [Hotel Name].”
2. Personalized Introduction: Mention why you admire the hotel or what makes it unique.
3. Value Proposition: Highlight what you can offer, such as social media exposure, content creation, or audience access.
4. Call to Action: Invite the recipient to discuss further or request the PR contact.

💡 Pro Tip: If you don’t get a response within a week, follow up with a polite reminder.

Step 4: Deliver Exceptional Results

Once you’ve secured a collaboration, treat it as a professional project. Your goal is to overdeliver while meeting all agreed expectations.

During your stay:

• Content Creation: Capture high-quality photos and videos that showcase the property’s best features.
• Engage Your Audience: Share Instagram stories or TikToks in real-time, tagging the hotel.
• Build Relationships: Introduce yourself to staff and thank them for their hospitality.

After your stay:

• Deliverables: Send all agreed content by the deadline.
• Performance Analytics: Provide stats like blog traffic or Instagram reach to demonstrate impact.
• Thank You Note: A simple gratitude email can leave a lasting impression.

Step 5: Build Long-Term Partnerships

One successful collaboration can lead to many more if you maintain the relationship.

How to foster long-term partnerships:

• Regular Updates: Share updates about the content’s performance (e.g., blog views, bookings).
• Repeat Campaigns: Propose seasonal or holiday-specific collaborations.
• Referrals: Offer to recommend the hotel to other creators or include them in future itineraries.

💡 Pro Tip: Hotels appreciate consistency and reliability. Always strive to exceed expectations.

Common Pitfalls in Hotel Collaborations and How to Avoid Them

Collaborating with hotels can be a game-changing experience, but it’s not without its challenges.

Many creators and hoteliers stumble over common pitfalls that can derail an otherwise successful partnership. Here are some of the most frequent mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Overselling Yourself

• The Pitfall: Promising metrics like skyrocketing follower growth or viral posts without having the track record to back it up.
• How to Avoid It: Be realistic about your capabilities and highlight your consistent strengths, such as engagement rates or the quality of your content.
  Tip: Focus on the long-term value you can offer, like creating evergreen content that the hotel can use repeatedly in their marketing.

2. Under-Delivering

• The Pitfall: Failing to meet the hotel’s expectations for content quality, timeliness, or agreed deliverables.
• How to Avoid It: Set clear expectations before the collaboration begins. Provide a content schedule, and ensure you deliver on time and to the agreed standard.
  Tip: Always aim to over-deliver—surprising the hotel with additional content, like bonus reels or an extra blog post, can leave a lasting impression.

3. Neglecting to Clarify Deliverables

• The Pitfall: Entering a collaboration without a mutual understanding of what each party will provide, leading to misunderstandings or disputes.
• How to Avoid It: Discuss all deliverables upfront. Create a simple agreement outlining the number of posts, videos, or blog articles, along with deadlines and expected outcomes.
  Tip: Keep communication open throughout the process. Regular updates can prevent any surprises.

4. Overlooking the Hotel’s Perspective

• The Pitfall: Focusing solely on your needs as a creator and neglecting what the hotel aims to achieve, such as increased bookings or brand visibility.
• How to Avoid It: Research the hotel’s marketing goals and tailor your pitch to show how you can help achieve them. During the collaboration, track, and share metrics to demonstrate your impact.
  Tip: Consider adding features like a trackable affiliate link or promo code to help the hotel measure direct ROI. We published an article about the return on investment of hotel collaborations.

5. Ignoring Feedback

• The Pitfall: Dismissing constructive criticism or failing to adapt your content to align with the hotel’s branding.
• How to Avoid It: Treat feedback as a chance to improve and refine your work. Always ask the hotel for their input and preferences before finalizing deliverables.
  Tip: Building a feedback loop early in the partnership can ensure both parties are satisfied with the results.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can ensure your hotel collaborations are smooth, professional, and mutually beneficial. Focus on clear communication, realistic expectations, and delivering value beyond the initial agreement.

Tools and Resources to Streamline Hotel Collaborations

Successful hotel collaborations are easier to achieve when you have the right tools and resources at your disposal.

From crafting the perfect pitch to analyzing the impact of your partnership, these tools will help you stay organized, professional, and effective.

1. Media Kit Creation

• Tool: Canva
  Canva is a user-friendly design tool for creating visually appealing media kits and pitch decks. Use templates to showcase your stats, audience demographics, and past collaborations in a professional format.
  Pro Tip: Include high-quality visuals from previous trips and a brief summary of your niche.
• Want to save time? Check out my professionally designed Media Kit Portfolio Template. Customize it in Canva and elevate your pitch game today!

2. Analytics and Performance Tracking

• Tool: Google Analytics
  Track the performance of blog posts, landing pages, or dedicated hotel content to demonstrate ROI. Share data such as page views, time spent on pages, and traffic sources with your hotel partners.
  Pro Tip: Set up UTM codes to monitor the effectiveness of specific campaigns or affiliate links.
• Tool: Instagram Insights / TikTok Analytics
  Use built-in analytics tools on social platforms to track engagement, reach, and follower demographics for sponsored posts and stories.

3. Influencer Collaboration Platforms

• Tool: Aspire
  Aspire is a robust platform where influencers can discover collaboration opportunities, manage partnerships, and even handle communication and payments. It’s perfect for streamlining the entire process.
• Tool: Jerne
  Jerne is a cutting-edge platform specifically designed for connecting creators with hospitality brands. With its focus on the travel industry, Jerne makes it easy to discover opportunities with hotels, resorts, and other travel-related businesses.

Pro Tip: Many platforms, like Aspire and Jerne, allow you to filter opportunities by niche, destination, and brand type, saving you valuable time.

4. Email Management

• Tool: Mixmax
• Mixmax is an excellent tool for streamlining your email management. With features like email tracking, templates, and scheduled follow-ups, you can keep your collaboration pitches organized and professional. It’s perfect for maintaining relationships with hotel PR managers and ensuring no pitch slips through the cracks.
• Pro Tip: Use Mixmax’s email analytics to track when your emails are opened and tailor your follow-ups for better results.

5. Photo and Video Editing

• Tool: Snapseed
  Snapseed is a free, beginner-friendly photo editing app. It provides advanced tools like selective adjustments, healing, and HDR effects, making it perfect for refining your travel photos on the go.
• Tool: CapCut
  Edit professional-quality videos to showcase a hotel’s unique features.
  Pro Tip: Always optimize your visuals for the platform you’re using—vertical for TikTok and Instagram Reels, horizontal for YouTube.

The right tools and resources can transform the way you approach hotel collaborations, making the process seamless and efficient. By leveraging these platforms and apps, you’ll not only save time but also enhance your professionalism and ability to demonstrate value.

Conclusion: Take the First Step Toward Hotel Collaborations

Hotel collaborations can unlock incredible opportunities—not just for travel, but for building a sustainable, impactful brand.

By understanding your unique value, targeting the right hotels, and executing professional partnerships, you can create mutually beneficial relationships that go far beyond a single stay.

The key is preparation, communication, and delivering exceptional results. With the tools and strategies outlined in this guide, you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming a trusted creator in the travel and hospitality industry.

But why stop here? If you’re serious about elevating your collaboration game, our online course, 🔓VIP Unlocked: How to Collaborate with Hotels, is your next step.

In this course, you’ll learn:

• How to pitch like a pro with real-life examples.
• The secrets to crafting a media kit that wins over hotels.
• Advanced strategies for building long-term, profitable partnerships.

👉 Click here to enroll in 🔓VIP Unlocked: How to Collaborate with Hotels and start turning your travel dreams into reality today!

FAQs About Hotel Collaborations

Pro Tip: Ready to become a collaboration expert? Enroll in our 🔓VIP Unlocked: How to Collaborate with Hotels online course for insider tips, strategies, and templates to secure partnerships that deliver real results. 🚀

• About the Author
• More info

Tim Kroeger( International Tourism Management Expert )

Tim Kroeger, founder of Universal Traveller, leverages extensive experience in luxury travel and tourism to offer firsthand insights into emerging hospitality trends.

Expertises: International Tourism Management, Tourism in Costa Rica, International tourism advertising, Adventure travel, Luxury Adventure Travel