NATIONAL REPORT—Ever wonder why a YouTuber can sell out a fundraiser by sleeping in a treehouse, while your boutique hotel struggles to get bookings outside peak season? That’s not just a marketing problem—it’s a culture shift.
Today’s travelers aren’t just looking for availability. They want alignment. They’re not booking for convenience alone; they’re searching for experiences, identity, and meaning. And if your property is showing up like a product listing, not a living story, you’re invisible in the modern booking journey.
Let’s explore how creator culture, like Ryan Trahan’s wildly successful summer Airbnb road trip, reveals what hotels are missing and what must be considered to compete in today’s attention economy.
What Hotels Can Learn from Creator Culture
In June of 2025, Ryan Trahan—YouTube creator, fundraiser, and storytelling wizard—set out to stay in the most unique Airbnb in all 50 states in just 50 days. He called it the “Wheel of Doom” tour. Every donation during his stay-focused-stunt came with a mission, a game, a narrative hook. But the real twist? He raised over $10M for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along the way.
Each stop on the trip wasn’t just another place to crash. It was an episode. A challenge. A chance to connect with something bigger. And viewers didn’t watch for the amenities, they showed up for the meaning. But, they ended up falling in love with the spaces!
Hotels have to recognize this: today’s audience is trained by platforms where story trumps everything. Whether it’s TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, what wins is emotional resonance, mission, and a sense of belonging—not polished listings and convenience.
We’re Living in the Era of Story-First Travel
Travel marketing has entered the “story economy.” And the data backs it up:
- Sixty-one percent of travelers say they booked a hotel after seeing it on Instagram.
- Seventy-one percent of Gen Z and Millennials prefer booking places that align with their values or support a cause.
- Short-form videos showing behind-the-scenes, local gems, and authentic staff moments drive more engagement than glossy brochure-style content.
And it’s not just about visuals, it’s about feeling involved. Travelers want to support something they believe in. They want to see your brand take a stand, show personality, and participate in culture.
Why OTAs Are Winning (But Not Invincible)
Let’s be honest, OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) still dominate. Over 63 percent of online hotel bookings go through them. Why? Familiarity, perceived safety, and sheer search engine power.
But OTAs aren’t unbeatable. In fact, travelers often start on OTAs and then book direct when the hotel’s story or value offer pulls them in. A phenomenon called the “billboard effect.”
The problem is, most hotels aren’t giving guests a compelling reason to leave the OTA ecosystem. They’re offering sameness, not significance. And that’s a missed opportunity.
Five Storytelling Pivots Hotels Can Make Now
Stop Selling Beds, Start Selling Belonging. Don’t just describe your amenities. Tell us who you are. What do you stand for? Why did you open this hotel? What do guests experience that they won’t find anywhere else?
Create a content engine, not just a website. Build a content strategy that goes beyond your booking engine: weekly short-form videos of staff or guest moments; blog posts about your neighborhood, culture, or backstory; and collaborations with local creators or storytellers.
Attach a mission to your brand. Support a cause, highlight sustainability, or contribute to your community. Then showcase it. Make your values part of the stay. Make booking direct an experience. Don’t just offer the same price as OTAs, offer something special: personalized welcome gifts; flexible check-in/out; experiential upgrades; and behind-the-scenes tours or local guides.
Lean into your quirks. Have a strange statue in the lobby? A staff member who plays jazz? A themed room? Don’t hide it. Highlight it. People book what they can talk about.
The Wake-Up Call Hotels Can’t Ignore
This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about adapting to how people decide what matters.
Ryan Trahan’s success didn’t just come from slick production or celebrity endorsements. Although he thoughtfully weaved those in very strategically. It came from authenticity, narrative, and urgency. Your hotel might never get millions of views, but it can win loyalty and direct bookings by telling a more human story.
So ask yourself:
- What story are we telling?
- Why should someone care?
- Are we showing up like a creator or a commodity?
Travelers want more than a room—they want a reason.
And if hotels want to reclaim attention from OTAs and stand out in a crowded digital space, they need to act more like creators: human, mission-driven, and culture-savvy.
Because in 2025 culture, the real currency in travel marketing isn’t inventory. It’s identity.
About the Author
Sarah Stahl understands the hospitality industry fiercely because she has lived it from every angle. Starting as a DMO/Tourism Director, she managed government-side destination strategy, saw what gets ignored, and watched visitor behavior shift in real time. Frustrated by brilliant property owners buried under clunky platforms and vague advice, she jumped to the private side. As Head of Marketing at ReTreet Resort, she helped scale a startup property from six treehouses to 21 units, broke OTA dependency, and built an influencer system that drove 93 percent direct bookings and revenue sky high in two years—all without spending a dime on PPC.
Now, as co-founder of Market Movers, she helps hospitality brands replace bloated, expensive marketing software with custom-built, data-first demand engines and creator partnerships that cost less and work harder. Go to sarahstahl.com or e-mail sarah@marketmovers.tech.
