According to the Klook Travel Pulse Study, in the Asia Pacific region, Instagram and YouTube remain the top two social media platforms, with TikTok rapidly gaining ground for travel inspiration. Marcus Yong, Vice President of Global Marketing at Klook, highlighted that 62% of travelers prefer recommendations from non-celebrity content creators. The study also revealed that over 80% of travelers made bookings based on these creator-driven recommendations, underscoring the growing influence of content creators in shaping travel decisions.
Blurring the lines between passion and profit
WiT had the opportunity to speak with several creators about their experiences with the Klook affiliate program and the challenges they face in maintaining authenticity while monetizing their content. Mimi Miaco (Tik-Tok @mimiyako), a creator from the Philippines with 89.8K followers with 3 million likes of her travel content, shared her perspective on how she navigates this balance.
“Even if I don’t push specific affiliate codes or promotions, my content remains valuable and relevant to my followers,” Mimi explained. “It’s about helping my followers to make informed decisions.” For Mimi, travel promo codes and sponsored deals are secondary to the real mission—providing genuine travel insights and recommendations. As a self-described “big sister” to her followers, Mimi sees her role as more than just cross-selling travel experiences; it’s about guiding her audience through the complex world of travel choices, particularly for first-time travelers from her home country.
“I know how important it is to stretch every dollar, especially coming from a country where our currency isn’t the strongest,” she shared. Mimi’s content focuses on finding the best deals, and Klook’s platform allows her to create a valuable resource for budget-conscious travelers emphasizing that monetization doesn’t compromise the integrity of her content. Instead, it enhances the value she provides.
Turning comments into conversations: The power of engagement
One key trend that Mimi highlighted is the interactive nature of modern travel content creation, particularly through platforms like TikTok. “The ability to answer followers’ questions through comments or quick response videos adds a whole new level of engagement,” she noted. Clearly, creators are no longer just sharing travel stories; they are becoming integral to the booking journey, guiding their followers—whom they already have relationships with—from initial inspiration to final decisions. And this is achieved with much less booking anxiety, as creators approach the process not solely from a merchant’s perspective, but as a friend offering genuine, relatable advice.
The role of AI in scaling content
Amal and Lijo (Instagram @malayaliyathrakal) with 351k followers offer a different perspective. Their content creation journey began unexpectedly during the pandemic when they started posting videos in their local language. Now, they are looking to expand into a broader international audience, noting that AI could help overcome language barriers and scale their content to a larger audience.
“We hope to be part of a larger ecosystem through Klook, collaborating with tourism boards to fund our next trips so we can cover more international destinations like we’re doing on this one,” they shared. AI tools such as automated translations, personalized content recommendations, and engagement optimization are becoming essential for creators looking to reach audiences beyond their local markets.
A new era of travel creators
Among the 130 Kreators invited to Klook Kreatorverse, we observed a diverse range of Klook Kreator profiles, with a strong emphasis on millennial and Gen Z content creators. These creators cater to various traveler types—independent travelers, family vacationers, couples, —offering content that aligns with the unique preferences of their audience. This highlights how Klook is strategically engaging with these key demographics, leveraging creators who craft content tailored to the needs, interests, and digital habits of millennial and Gen Z travelers.
A common theme that emerged in conversations with Kreators is a strong preference for international travel content. For instance, when WiT spoke with an Indian couple—a medical doctor turned Klook creator—their enthusiasm for international destinations was evident. When asked whether their content focused solely on global travels or included local adventures, they admitted that international travel excites them more, leaving local destinations in the shadows.
A global community event such as Kreatorverse could serve as a platform to bring creators together in a physical setting, allowing them to connect and explore each other’s countries. From our observations, creators are eager to venture into international destinations, with some of the highest-earning Klook Kreators making up to USD $12,000 monthly. International content offers significant growth potential, especially where commissions tied to stronger currencies are involved. However, a compelling trend is emerging: during Kreatorverse, creators are given the opportunity to connect and exchange insights into each other’s markets. This opens up the possibility for them to promote each other’s experiences, suggesting a shift in focus that could enrich both their storytelling and audience engagement.
The rise of the creator economy signals a shift in how travel is booked, with content becoming as diverse and personalized as the travelers themselves.
