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Two Duke Students Launch New Platform To Disrupt The Travel Influencer Industry

A new marketing startup is hitting the scene, connecting social media influencers with the hottest lodging destinations. The platform, named “Innfluence,” is streamlining the once daunting marketing method for property managers, leveraging data and analytics to inspire millions of social media followers to follow the lead of their trendy influencers.



USA - February 1st, 2021 - Hindsight is now indeed 20/20, and many are ready to move on to a brighter 2021 with an eye to returning to travel. With that in mind, a new marketing mashup is hitting the scene connecting social media influencers with the hottest lodging destinations. The start-up, named “Innfluence,” is looking to inspire millions of social media followers to follow the lead of their trendy influencers by booking stays at the best hotels and resorts around the world.


Innfluence is the brainchild of two students at Duke University, Joseph Touma and Connor Passe. In the three months since inception, the company has grown to a team of 8 and been invited to participate in two startup accelerators.


The recipe is fairly simple: influencers receive free lodging in exchange for enticing and artistic posts on their social media accounts. The hotels, in exchange, receive flattering marketing exposure, blasted out to tens of thousands of dedicated followers. While such arrangements have grown more common as of late, the current process is time intensive for all involved, requiring lengthy email correspondence or working through costly agencies and managers.


Innfluence addresses these pain points, serving as conduit between properties and content creators. Innfluence screens potential influencers in a thorough vetting process. Once influencers gain access to the platform, a proprietary algorithm leverages hotel preferences and audience analytics (including geography, age, and engagement) to generate optimal hotel-influencer partnerships.


Coming out of the travel drought created by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more timely and effective way to “Innfluence” the eager and engaged traveling consumer. Hotels and influencers interested in partnering with Innfluence can do so on their website, www.innfluence.io.


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About The Author


Karl Sigurdsson - Senior Contributor


Karl is a senior contributor at TravelIndustryReporter.com and knows the European travel industry inside out. Karl is a freelance travel writer specialising in the European market. Karl studied at both Stockholm University and Reading University.


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