Hotels and companies that pay creators (and how to turn a free stay into a paid one)

The question I get asked most is: which hotels actually pay creators, and how do I get on their radar? Here is the honest answer. A free stay is not payment. But hotels, tourism boards and brands do work with creators, some of them pay, and a few of them will take you on when you are small.

This is a living list. I went through every program below on its official page wherever it would load, gave each one a plain label so you know what you are applying for, and I will keep adding to it. Some programs are closed right now. I kept them in on purpose, because they are worth watching for the next round.

Last checked 23 October 2026. Programs change, so always read the official page before you apply. I have no affiliation with the programs listed and there are no affiliate links on this page.

Jump to

Hotels and cruises · Tourism boards · Travel brands that pay commission · UGC and small-creator platforms · Contests and funding · How I turn a free stay into a paid one

How to read the labels

PAID a fee for your work. STAY ONLY a stay and perks, no cash. COMMISSION you earn per booking or sale. CASE BY CASE terms depend on the partner. CONTEST you enter and may win. CLOSED listed so you can watch for the next round.

The honest picture

Very few hotel, airline or cruise brands run a public creator program. Most of the open doors are tourism boards, travel affiliate programs and UGC marketplaces. The big hotel chains hire creators through agencies and their own property teams, which is why the method at the bottom of this page matters more than any list.

Hotels, resorts and cruises

Radisson Creator HubSTAY ONLY

• What you get: a 3-night stay for 2 guests at participating Radisson hotels in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, plus Radisson Rewards perks. No cash.
• Who qualifies: creators with 1,000 to 30,000 followers on Instagram or TikTok. Content themes are design, wellbeing, local culture and gastronomy.
• How to apply: email [email protected] or message Radisson Hotel Group on Instagram or TikTok, as published in their launch press release. Heads up: it is for 2 guests, so a family of four needs extra rooms. Source.

Sail CroatiaSTAY ONLY

• What you get: a cruise experience in exchange for agreed content. They say payment may be offered in some cases.
• Who qualifies: creators of all sizes with an engaged audience, a media kit, quality equipment and editing skills. No follower minimum stated.
• How to apply: the online form. Recruiting for summer 2027. Heads up: solo creators usually share a cabin with another solo traveler, flights are not included and it is not family-friendly.

ALL Accor Creator AcademyNOT PAIDCLOSED

• What you get: 3 to 5 weeks of free training and mentorship, plus a live content brief at Accor properties.
• Who qualifies: emerging travel creators. The first intake was in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast).
• How to apply: it closed on 17 May 2026 and Accor says it will expand to more regions. Watch their newsroom for the next intake.

Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and IHG: I found no public creator application at any of them. They hire through agencies and their own property teams, so pitch a specific hotel using the method below.

Tourism boards and destinations

Tourism Whistler Ambassador ProgramPAID

• What you get: content for Tourism Whistler channels paid at a set rate that depends on your experience (the rate is not published), under a written contract, plus event access for you and a guest.
• Who qualifies: creators who make quality original short-form video and photo that fits the Whistler brand. No follower number stated. You travel to Whistler.
• How to apply: the form on their ambassador page.

VisitScotland influencer programmeCASE BY CASE

• What you get: a collaboration agreed case by case. Terms are not published. VisitScotland also runs a separate Content Creator Network with commissioned, paid work. Read the content rights before you sign.
• Who qualifies: creators with an engaged audience interested in travel, culture or lifestyle. No follower minimum stated.
• How to apply: the influencer application form, open year-round.

Travel OregonCASE BY CASE

• What you get: help with a trip you plan to Oregon. Compensation is not stated.
• Who qualifies: creators planning a trip around Oregon. No follower number stated.
• How to apply: the Influencer Request Form on their page.

Cayman Islands Department of TourismCASE BY CASE

• What you get: a hosted visit to the Cayman Islands. Compensation is not stated.
• Who qualifies: content creators ready to experience the islands. They choose by audience fit and storytelling.
• How to apply: the Visiting Influencers form on ourcayman.ky. No deadline.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Creator Incentive Program 2026COMMISSION

• What you get: $25 per completed booking through your own promo code, plus a contract.
• Who qualifies: creators invited or approved through participating lodging partners. You need a W-9 and a signed contract.
• How to apply: through the lodging partners, not a public form. Program document.

CrowdRiff CreatorsPAID

• What you get: paid location assignments through an app: up to 4 hours on location and 10 to 20 raw clips. Pay rates are not published and the destination owns the content.
• Who qualifies: local micro-creators who live near a participating destination in the US or Canada.
• How to apply: sign up here.

Also worth knowing: Clear Lake, Iowa CASE BY CASE offers gift cards, passes or paid collabs to local creators. Visit Faroe Islands CASE BY CASE takes written inquiries at [email protected], though they say collaborations have decreased. Visit Vancouver WA ran a paid $500-per-video series CLOSED, Sunwing Canada’s Next Top Creators CLOSED closed on 7 August 2026, and Tourism Australia’s Friends of Australia is INVITE ONLY.

Matador Creators CASE BY CASE: a free creator account gives access to hosted creator trips and brand gigs. When I checked, the public page showed trips to Jamaica and the Sunshine Hotel and Suites in Grand Cayman. Terms are behind the login. Sign up.

Travel brands that pay commission

These do not pay a fee. They pay when someone books. They are open to beginners, and they are a real second income stream once your audience trusts you.

• Expedia Group Travel Creator Program COMMISSION: up to 4% on bookings across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. Anyone can apply. Apply.
• Viator affiliate COMMISSION: 8% on completed bookings, no traffic or follower minimums. Sign up.
• Airalo affiliate COMMISSION: 10% of sales, application reviewed, creators welcome. Apply.
• TourRadar Ambassador Program COMMISSION: 7% on bookings, creators just starting out welcome. Apply.
• Klook Kreator Program COMMISSION: reported 1,000-follower minimum. I could not read their portal, so confirm the terms on their site.

UGC and small-creator platforms that pay

Read the fee line before you sign up. Some of these keep a share of what you earn.

• Billo PAID: no followers needed, US, Canada and UK, paid per approved video. Rates are not published. Apply.
• Trend PAID: no followers needed, US iPhone users only, cash plus products you keep. Apply.
• JoinBrands PAID: pay is shown on each job (for example a UGC video defaults to $60 with a $50 minimum). Fee: 20% of your earnings, or 15% on their paid Pro tier. Apply.
• Collabstr PAID: you set your own package prices. Reported fee: 15% of payouts, so confirm it in your dashboard. A credit card is required at signup. Join.
• Maven by Aspire CASE BY CASE: built for creators under 5,000 followers, with free product and some paid work. Sign up.
• Insense PAID: needs a UGC portfolio and at least 1,000 Instagram followers (or 500 median TikTok views). Apply.

Contests and funding open right now

• Canon First Cut Contest 2026 CONTEST: four winners each get $25,000 to make their video project, plus mentorship. You enter with a public 1 to 3 minute video pitch. Closes 10 November 2026. Read the official rules for eligibility. Details.
• Visit Finland, Finnish Dinner Date CONTEST: an all-expenses-paid 4-day trip for 16 travelers, aimed at singles. Apply with a short public video by 10 November 2026. Details.

How I turn a free stay into a paid stay

An easy way to start is to negotiate a stay in exchange for a fair amount of content. One time I stayed at a five-star hotel in exchange for five photos. It never includes exclusivity and it never includes ad usage. After our stay I sent the hotel several videos and photos they could add to their package, and they ended up buying those from me. That is how I turned a free stay into a paid stay.

The way I find a hotel that says yes:

1. Shortlist hotels on a booking site: child-friendly, four stars, 8 out of 10 on the reviews. Check they have availability.
2. Read the Google reviews. See what guests rave about and what they complain about. That is your pitch.
3. Pick a hotel that needs you. A three-star with 200 followers is likelier to say yes than a Four Seasons with 40,000.
4. Follow them, like a few photos, comment and reply to their stories so the person running their social media knows your name.
5. Skip reception. Call and ask for sales, the person in charge of partnerships.
6. Make the first email specific. Tell them what you found in their reviews. Leave your portfolio out of it.
7. Follow up by giving more. Share a new idea. If they stay quiet, call.

Want my tips on landing hotel collaborations?

If you want the full playbook, I teach it step by step in Hotel Collab Mastery: how to write pitch emails that turn into hotel stays, how to find hotels that are excited to collaborate, what to say so your email stands out, where to get the right contact details and how to build a professional portfolio. It is pre-recorded with a Q&A, and you get my personal email templates.

See Hotel Collab Mastery

Prefer to learn live with me in a small group? Join the waitlist for the next round of the Content Creator Circle: join the waitlist.

Questions?

If you have a question about a program, a pitch, or a hotel you want to approach, ask it in the comments below or message me on Instagram at @withmarae. I read every one, and your questions help me decide what to add next. Follow @withmarae to see new opportunities as I find them.