Tourism Marketing Case Study: How Visit Salt Lake Generated 10M+ Impressions With Creator Marketing

This tourism marketing case study explores how Visit Salt Lake, a destination marketing organization (DMO), used creator marketing and authentic travel content to reach a new generation of travelers.

Rather than relying on traditional tourism advertising, Visit Salt Lake launched a creator-led travel campaign focused on real experiences, real storytelling, and social-first content. By partnering with trusted creators through Popfly, the campaign generated more than 10 million impressions, 3M+ views, and a 4.94% engagement rate.

The result was not just awareness. It was a scalable library of high-performing travel content built by creators audiences already trust.

The Challenge: Modernizing Destination Marketing for a New Travel Audience

Visit Salt Lake wanted to reach younger, digital-first travelers who discover destinations through social media, not commercials.

Their goals were to:

• Expand reach with new audiences
  
• Produce authentic travel content at scale
  
• Increase engagement through social platforms
  
• Avoid traditional, scripted tourism advertising
  

Like many DMOs, Visit Salt Lake needed a destination marketing strategy that felt human, not corporate.

The Strategy: Creator Marketing for Tourism

Instead of producing a single large commercial shoot, Visit Salt Lake launched a creator marketing campaign using Popfly to turn real trips into real content.

The approach focused on:

• Creator-led storytelling
  
• Diverse perspectives of Salt Lake City
  
• Experiences travelers actually want to see
  
• Content designed for social media platforms
  

Multiple creators were sent on real trips across the city to document their experiences.

Kendall explored downtown Salt Lake City and local culture. Bradley went ice skating with his family. Jessica highlighted the local food scene. Other creators uncovered hidden gems and outdoor adventures.

These were not staged productions. They were authentic travel experiences captured through the lens of creators with built-in audiences.

Execution: Scalable Creator Campaigns Using Popfly

Popfly provided the infrastructure to manage the campaign from start to finish, including:

• Creator sourcing and coordination
  
• Trip-based content creation
  
• Asset collection and organization
  
• Engagement and performance tracking
  

This system allowed Visit Salt Lake to scale their influencer marketing for travel without losing creative quality or brand alignment.

The campaign produced more than 80 pieces of creator-generated travel content that could be used across both creator channels and Visit Salt Lake’s owned social platforms.

Instead of a one-time campaign, Visit Salt Lake built a long-term content library for future destination marketing efforts.

Results: Creator Marketing Performance Metrics

The creator-led travel campaign delivered measurable results across reach and engagement.

Campaign Performance

• Over 3 million views
  
• Over 10 million impressions
  
• 4.94 percent engagement rate
  
• 80+ pieces of creator content
  

These results were driven by authentic storytelling rather than traditional paid tourism advertising.

Audiences responded because the content felt relatable and trustworthy, not promotional.

Why This Destination Marketing Strategy Worked

This destination marketing case study highlights three key factors behind the campaign’s success.

1. Authenticity Outperformed Traditional Tourism Ads

Viewers connected with real families, real food, and real activities instead of scripted commercials.

2. Creators Brought Built-In Trust

Each creator reached an audience that already values their recommendations and travel advice.

3. Scale Replaced Single Shoots

Instead of producing one hero video, Visit Salt Lake gained dozens of high-performing assets that continue to deliver value. This approach turned creator marketing into a performance-driven channel for tourism promotion.

A New Model for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)

Visit Salt Lake’s campaign demonstrates how DMOs can evolve from traditional advertising into creator-powered marketing strategies that drive awareness and visitation.

This tourism marketing case study shows that influencer marketing for travel is most effective when it prioritizes storytelling over sponsorships and experiences over advertisements.

Modern travelers do not want to be sold to. They want to see themselves in the destination. Creators make that possible.

Ready to Launch Your Own Creator Marketing Campaign?

Visit Salt Lake proved that creator marketing for tourism can deliver real results at scale. Because today’s travelers do not follow commercials. They follow creators.

Schedule a demo to learn how Popfly can help your brand launch high-performing creator campaigns.

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