New Study Reveals Influencers Drive Direct Hotel Bookings, Reducing OTA Dependence

Independent hotels looking to reduce Online Travel Agency (OTA) reliance and increase direct bookings should invest in strategic influencer partnerships, according to TravelBoom Hotel Marketing’s latest research. The 2025 Influencer Travel Study finds that 28% of travelers have booked a hotel based on an influencer’s recommendation, highlighting a major shift in traveler decision-making.

The study, conducted by TravelBoom Hotel Marketing, a leading data-driven marketing agency specializing in hotel marketing, provides data-driven insights into how influencers impact travel behavior and outlines key strategies for independent hoteliers to capitalize on this trend.

Key Findings From the Study:

• Influencers play a direct role in bookings: 28% of travelers have booked a hotel based on an influencer’s recommendation, with 37% indicating they sometimes, often, or always follow influencer advice when making travel decisions.
• YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram lead the way:
  • 51% of travelers cite YouTube as their primary source for influencer recommendations.
  • 47% rely on Facebook, while 45% look to Instagram for travel inspiration.
• Trust in influencer content is growing: 57% of travelers on YouTube and 54% on Instagram report placing a fair amount or great deal of trust in influencer recommendations.
• Strategic content planning is key: Long-form content, such as detailed hotel reviews and immersive videos, is more effective in converting travelers than short-form social media posts.

Implications For Independent Hotels

With travelers consuming influencer content at higher rates, hotels that leverage influencer partnerships strategically can drive direct bookings, improve guest engagement, and reduce OTA commissions.

“This study confirms what we’ve seen in the market—influencers are now a critical part of the hotel booking journey, not just an awareness tool,” said Pete DeMaio, hotel marketing expert at TravelBoom. “Independent hotels that invest in authentic, well-structured influencer collaborations will see measurable impacts on their bottom line.”

Recommendations for Marketers:

• Prioritize long-form influencer content – Hotel reviews, vlogs, and immersive storytelling yield a higher return on investment than short-form content.
• Engage influencers across multiple platforms – YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram remain the most effective channels for travel-related influencer marketing.
• Structure influencer agreements strategically – Define content length, messaging, and key talking points to ensure influencers address traveler objections and highlight direct booking benefits.

Download the Full Report

The 2025 Influencer Travel Study is now available for free download.