Recently, I watched a captivating mini-series that explored the dark effects of social media on our everyday lives.
The amusing yet insightful pilot featured a young YouTuber, who would eagerly call his friends every time he had a new video out, pleading for their likes, shares, and comments. His ultimate dream was to team up with a more prominent social media figure to boost his own engagement!
During a heartfelt talk with his older brother, he remarked:
In the past, fans would go above and beyond for celebrities.
Now, social media celebrities are the ones who must go above and beyond for their followers!
This made me reflect. Beyond the comedic take on influencers in the show, his observation was valid. Scrolling through any trending travel hashtag on Instagram, one can find influencers putting themselves in perilous situations at the edge of cliffs, stomping through lavender fields, and even performing silly dances against beautiful backdrops—all to entertain their audience and gain those likes, shares, and comments.
I must admit I’ve also pushed myself on hikes just to grab stunning photos for Instagram. Once, I embarrassingly jumped over a ‘do not cross’ sign while hiking in Thailand to snap the valley unobstructed. And during my early days as a digital nomad, I lugged my laptop to the beach just to capture that ideal outdoor workspace, only to ruin my camera with sand!
The glamorous life of travel influencers often hides insecurities, tough negotiations, and immense pressure to maintain a facade of success.
Also read: Insider Tips: How to Get Paid to Travel the World in 2025
The decline of creativity
There used to be a time when travel bloggers were celebrated for publishing a single blog post weekly or even monthly. Some would take months to share a thoughtful story or video! After all, truly exploring and transforming experiences into profound narratives requires time. Creativity cannot simply be summoned at will.
Jump forward to today’s Instagram landscape. Content creators are expected to produce posts, reels, stories, and videos—essentially anything, at a rapid pace. They must also share content across multiple platforms: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Threads, Pinterest, and more! With this comes the stress of accumulating likes, shares, and comments, plus the relentless competition to outdo fellow creators.
This is physically exhausting, mentally draining, and, frankly, leads to the demise of genuine creativity.
Also read: Why Long Term Travel is More Like Real Life and Less Like Instagram
Influencer agencies demand the oddest things
I realize that cutting ties with digital and PR agencies isn’t advisable, particularly because collaborations with brands are a crucial source of my income. Nonetheless,…
They ask me to mislead readers by not revealing paid partnerships, citing “brand protocol.”
They expect me to speak to a camera for two minutes, praising their travel insurance, despite never using or having knowledge of it.
They’ll try to persuade me to endorse their products with exaggerated claims, suggesting it could be the best brand I’ve ever encountered.
They instruct me to act as if I funded a trip with a travel company, rather than being paid by them to attend their event.
They insist I emphasize the environmental efforts of companies that are actually harming the environment with fossil fuels and single-use plastics.
They pressure me to guarantee a specific number of views and comments, as if I control the Instagram algorithm.
And even more absurdly, they expect me to pay THEM to be featured in a lengthy list of top travel influencers circulating online!
Also read: What I Learned on the Path to 60,000+ Organic Followers on Instagram
Is it possible to be both a traveler and an influencer?
Sometimes, the label ‘travel influencer’ can seem contradictory. The identities of a traveler and an influencer often clash.
For a long time, I’ve perceived travel as a pursuit best enjoyed in anonymity. However, the burden of being labeled an influencer can undermine the genuine essence of traveling.
Recently, my partner and I decided to treat ourselves by staying at an eco-lodge, instead of relying on complimentary stays. We intentionally booked it under my partner’s name and let him manage all communication.
Experiencing the lodge as an ordinary guest transformed my trip entirely. When the restaurant thoughtfully addressed my vegan dietary needs, I felt assured it was standard for them, not a special treatment for me. During a chance encounter with one of the lodge’s board members, our conversation about her vision felt sincere and unfiltered.
Even though I strive to maintain authenticity during my sponsored travels, the reality is that an influencer’s journey often differs from that of a typical traveler.
On press trips, tourism boards frequently arrange for access to popular sites before regular hours, allowing for photography before the crowds. Unique meals, tours with founders who usually don’t guide trips, and special arrangements for influencers often cannot be duplicated for their audiences. Does this compromise the authenticity of both travel and influencing?
Now, I often feel hesitant to book vacations with smaller socially responsible organizations, as they typically recognize me from my blog or Instagram and offer free trips. If I have the means, I would prefer to pay full price. I’d rather receive compensation for collaborations or maintain complete authenticity without the pressure to promote my experience.
The irony lies in the fact that I worked tirelessly to grow a dedicated audience and personal brand, and now that success seems to complicate my travels.
Consider enrolling in my comprehensive course: Get Paid to Travel the World With Purpose
The term “influencer” is cringe-inducing, but…
For simplicity, I’ve been using the word “influencer” throughout this post, yet I feel uncomfortable when I’m called one. This sentiment is common among fellow travel bloggers, particularly those of us who began our journey before Instagram.
The term “influencer” now often conjures a negative image—promoting mindless consumerism, disregarding local customs, harming the environment, misleading followers with fake reviews, deceiving brands with inflated follower counts, intimidating companies with negative feedback, and even faking sponsored partnerships.
At times, I feel disconnected from Instagram, with its obscure algorithms and the influencer culture, leading me to gradually separate myself from it.
Nevertheless, travel influencers possess the potential to shift perspectives, challenge norms, fund meaningful initiatives, motivate brands towards environmental responsibility, spotlight community-led efforts in tourism, and more. The real question is whether social media algorithms should adapt to promote mindful content or if influencers should elevate their focus beyond likes and comments.
Do you feel intrigued or distanced by social media influencers?
Welcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’m often described as a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveler, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant, and environmentalist. Yet, at my core, I’m just a girl who believes that responsible travel has the power to transform us and the world we inhabit.
