As social media shapes how people choose their travel destination, MakeMyTrip has announced a programme that rewards Instagram creators for engagement rather than follower count.
The online travel platform has launched “Creator Circle” in partnership with Meta, aiming to build a network of travel creators who can help travellers discover destinations through authentic content, practical travel advice and real-time insights.
The programme is open to creators with at least 10,000 followers who meet the company’s eligibility criteria.
Why travel discovery is moving to creators
While travellers once relied heavily on websites, blogs and online reviews, short-form videos and creator-led content are increasingly shaping travel decisions.
A destination featured in a popular Reel or creator post can quickly gain visibility among prospective travellers. Industry experts have often noted that social media has shortened the gap between inspiration and booking, particularly among younger travellers.
Recognising this trend, MakeMyTrip says Creator Circle is designed to connect with consumers at the earliest stage of their travel journey, when they are still deciding where to go.
The company plans to provide participating creators with travel insights, consumer trends and information about common traveller concerns so they can produce more relevant content for their audiences.
Engagement, not follower count
One of the notable aspects of the programme is its compensation model.
Unlike traditional influencer campaigns, where brands favoured creators with large follower bases, MakeMyTrip says rewards under Creator Circle will be linked to the engagement generated by content rather than audience size.
“Engagement is the new mantra of advertising,” said Raj Rishi Singh, chief operating officer, flights, corporate, GCC and marketing at MakeMyTrip.
“The old logic of reach and impressions is giving way to something harder and more valuable: genuine connection. We are increasingly looking for more impactful ways to tell our stories, and the creators who have a traveller’s trust tell those the best,” he said.
The approach reflects a broader shift within digital advertising, where brands are increasingly measuring campaign success through interactions, conversions and community engagement rather than simply the number of people reached.
Why micro-creators matter
Meta, which is partnering with MakeMyTrip on the initiative, believes smaller creators often generate stronger engagement within niche communities.
“Creators don’t just inspire travel — they drive decisions,” said Shweta Bajpai, director, travel, financial services, real estate and media at Meta.
According to Bajpai, micro and nano creators frequently outperform larger influencers when it comes to connecting with specific audiences and influencing travel choices.
This trend has gained prominence across industries as brands look for more targeted and cost-effective marketing channels. Rather than investing heavily in celebrity influencers, companies are increasingly partnering with creators who have smaller but highly engaged audiences.
What creators will receive
Creators will get rewarded based on content performance, engagement, and campaign participation. According to the campaign’s website, the better their content performs, the more perks they unlock, including:
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Bonus multipliers -
Performance-linked incentives -
Travel perks
The programme’s execution partner, Collective Artists Network, through its creator platform Galleri5, will support creators with data and insights intended to improve content relevance.
Rahul Regulapati, chief executive officer of Galleri5 and partner at Collective Artists Network, said creators often produce better content when they have access to stronger audience insights and travel behaviour data.
The programme also seeks to create a more transparent framework in which creators are rewarded for the value they generate rather than the scale of their following.
To support adoption, MakeMyTrip recently organised a creator awareness event with Meta, attended by more than 100 travel and lifestyle creators. Meta will also provide educational resources, masterclasses, trend insights and learning modules through its creator-development initiatives.
What it means for travellers
For consumers, the initiative reflects a growing convergence between social media and travel booking platforms.
Travel companies increasingly view social media not merely as a marketing channel but as a discovery engine that can influence where consumers travel, how they plan itineraries and eventually where they make bookings.
As competition intensifies in India’s online travel market, platforms are looking for new ways to engage travellers before they begin actively searching for flights, hotels or holiday packages. Creator-led content offers an opportunity to reach consumers earlier in the decision-making process and potentially shape travel choices before a booking journey even begins.
For travellers, this could mean a growing volume of destination recommendations, travel hacks and itinerary ideas arriving directly through social media feeds, with creators playing an increasingly important role in determining what becomes the next popular travel destination.
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