LONDON: A series of sessions looking at how destinations and travel brands can work with digital influencers will take place on the Global Stage at this year’s WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry.
Digital influencers is a relatively new term which covers many aspects of the blogging community but includes other digital platforms which give destinations and brands access to potential visitors, such as YouTube, Instagram and other emerging video and voice channels.
Three of the highest-profile sessions are hosted by Michael Ball, co-founder and director of Traverse Events and Traverse Connect, a business founded in 2012.
The first session takes place on November 6 on the WTM Global Stage. “When is a follower not a follower” looks at how brands can gauge the audience of potential influencer partners through accurate measurement. The speakers are Jordan Simons, a travel YouTuber, blogger and photographer who is chronicling his three-year round the world working trip in The Life of Jord, and Julie Falconer who runs the award-winning travel and lifestyle blog, A Lady in London.
Two consecutive sessions take place on November 7, also on the WTM Global Stage. Ball is joined by Emily Leary, a blogger will discuss how influencers, brands and destinations can work together to create campaigns targetted at specific customer groups or as part of an event or celebration.
The following session will reinforce the importance of working with influencers across all available channels, and the necessity for destinations and brands to use a variety of platforms and partners to truly optimise the benefits of working with influencers. The speaker for this session is Macca Sherifi, a blogger and vlogger who has worked with Lonely Planet, KLM and Visit England while also running An Adventurous World Blog.
WTM Portfolio Press and PR manager, Paul Nelson, said: “WTM London has always provided digital influencers and the industry a chance to get together and share ideas. Our programme has adapted as the blogging community expands to factor in the overall influencer segment.
“The sessions at this year’s event reaffirm our commitment to providing business-critical insights and information for brands and destinations which are looking at how to work with this increasingly important part of the marketing mix.”
