Pitching travel brands is one of the most effective ways to grow as a travel creator, but sending a generic email won’t cut it, brands receive hundreds of pitches every day. To stand out, you need to craft a personalised and value-driven proposal that clearly shows what’s in it for them.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to pitch to travel brands and land collaborations. You’ll learn how to research the right companies, find the correct contacts, write a compelling pitch email and showcase your value as a creator.
Whether you’re aiming for a free hotel stay, a sponsored trip or a paid partnership, these tips will help you land more brand deals and build long-term relationships with travel companies.
1. Research the Right Brands
Before sending out any pitches, it’s important to identify which travel brands align with your niche and audience. Pitching randomly wastes both your time and the brand’s, so start by narrowing down companies that are a genuine fit for your content style and followers.
✅ How to Find the Right Travel Brands
- Look at brands you already use and love. Authenticity is key - your audience will trust collaborations with products or services you genuinely recommend.
- Check who’s working with other creators in your niche. Look at Instagram tags, YouTube sponsorships or blog mentions to see which brands are active in influencer marketing.
- Search for seasonal opportunities. Hotels, tour operators and tourism boards often run campaigns around holidays, summer travel or new destination launches.
- Join influencer and PR platforms. Sites like TravelCollabs (😉), AspireIQ and Upfluence can help you find active collaborations.
✅ Why Alignment Matters
When you pitch brands that share your values and audience demographics, you’re offering them a partnership that makes sense. This increases your chances of getting a positive response and building long-term relationships, rather than one-off collaborations.
2. Find the Right Contact
Even the best pitch can fall flat if it never reaches the right person. Sending your email to a generic inbox like [email protected] often means it gets lost or ignored.
Instead, you want to find the decision-maker, someone in marketing, PR or influencer partnerships.
💻 Where to Look for Contacts
- LinkedIn: Search for roles like Influencer Marketing Manager, PR Manager, or Marketing Manager at the company.
- Brand Website: Check the “Press” or “Contact” pages; many list PR or media email addresses.
- Press Releases: These often include contact details for the marketing team.
- Networking Events: Travel trade shows, networking events and even online webinars can help you build direct connections.
- Travel Collabs: We share brands that are open to creator pitches, with application or email details.
✅ Personalisation Goes a Long Way
Whenever possible, address your email to a specific person by name. This small detail immediately sets you apart from the generic mass pitches brands receive. It shows you’ve done your homework and care about building a relationship.
3. Crafting a Winning Pitch
Once you’ve identified the right brand and contact, it’s time to write an email that grabs attention and makes them want to work with you. A great pitch is short, personalised and focused on what the brand gains, not just what you want.
🏆 Nail the Subject Line
Your subject line determines whether your email gets opened. Keep it clear and enticing. Here are some examples:
- A quick idea you’ll love
- Idea for [Brand Name]
- Partnership Opportunity with [Your Blog/Channel Name]
✉️ Keep the Email Short and Powerful
Your email should be no more than 3–4 short paragraphs:
- Introduction - Who you are and why you’re reaching out.
- Personal Connection - Show you know their brand (mention a product or something you love about the brand)
- Your Offer - Briefly outline what you’re proposing and how it benefits them.
- Call to Action - End with an open-ended question to prompt a response.
✅ Focus on the Brand’s Gain
Brands care about ROI, whether it’s increased exposure, quality content or reaching their target audience.
Instead of saying, “I’d love a free stay at your hotel”, say, “I’d love to create a content series showcasing your property to my engaged audience of [X] travelers, with a focus on [unique angle].”
💻 Include Your Media Kit & Links
Attach or link to your media kit and include links to your blog, social media or portfolio. Make it as easy as possible for them to see your value.
4. Make an offer so good they can’t refuse (but know your worth)
The key to landing partnerships is creating an offer so good they can't refuse. However, it needs to be appealing to the brand while also reflecting the value of your work.
Many creators make the mistake of either being too vague or undervaluing their services. Instead, create a proposal that is both clear and irresistible.
✅ How to Craft an Irresistible Offer
- Be Specific: Instead of saying “I’d love to collaborate,” say “I’d like to create a 3-part Instagram Reel series featuring your new hiking gear during my upcoming trip to Iceland.”
- Tailor It to Their Needs: Show that you’ve considered their marketing goals, whether it’s brand awareness, destination promotion or content creation.
- Offer Different Options: Present a tiered approach (e.g. one package with social posts only, another with a blog feature + photos).
✅ Know Your Worth
Exposure alone doesn’t pay the bills. If you’re offering valuable content and access to an engaged audience, don’t lowball yourself. Clearly state what’s included in your offer and when appropriate, outline your rates.
5. Follow Up & Build Relationships
After sending your pitch, don’t just wait and hope for a reply. Following up is a part of the process and if done right, it can turn a “no response” into a collaboration.
✍️ When and How to Follow Up
- Wait about 5-7 days before sending a polite follow-up email.
- Keep it brief and friendly, referencing your original email and asking if they had a chance to consider your proposal.
Example: "Hi [Name], just wanted to check in to see if you had a chance to review my collaboration idea. I’d love to discuss how we can work together!"
A good rule is to send 4-5 follow-ups before moving on. Space them out, vary your message with new ideas or value and if there’s no response, politely thank them and leave the door open for future opportunities.
🤝 Build Long-Term Relationships
- If a brand isn’t interested now, don’t take it personally. Thank them for their time and ask if you can keep in touch for future opportunities.
- Engage with their content on social media - comment on posts, share relevant updates and stay visible.
- Over time, this familiarity can increase your chances when new campaigns arise.
✅ Bonus Tips for Successful Brand Pitches
Once you’ve mastered the basics, these extra tips can help you take your pitching to the next level and increase your chances of landing collaborations.
- Time your pitches strategically - brands plan campaigns months in advance. Pitch ahead of peak seasons or holidays when marketing budgets are being allocated.
- Create a pitch template (but personalise it!) - Having a basic structure saves time, but always tailor each pitch to the specific brand.
- Be consistent with outreach - treat pitching like part of your business routine. Set aside time each week to research brands and send new pitches.
- Keep refining your pitch strategy based on what works - track open rates, responses and successful collaborations to improve over time.
Pitching travel brands may feel intimidating at first, but with the right strategy, it becomes a powerful way to grow your career as a travel creator. By researching the right companies, finding the correct contacts and crafting pitches that focus on what the brand gains, you’ll stand out in their inbox and increase your chances of landing collaborations.
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- 🔓 Travel Collabs Pro - Get unlimited access to the full library of travel collab opportunities - updated weekly.
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