Skift Creator Summit 2026: Travel Brands Trust Creators
At the Skift Creator Summit 2026 in New York, IHG's Connor Smith and other travel leaders explain why brands are giving creative control to creators.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Travel brands are abandoning heavily produced and curated campaigns
- IHG hands over branding control of over 7,000 hotels to creators
- Connor Smith notes that trusting creators builds necessary credibility
- The Skift Creator Summit 2026 took place in New York on September 22, 2026
Travel brands worldwide are shifting their marketing strategies away from heavily curated campaigns and expensive, polished videos. Instead, they are handing over creative control to independent content creators equipped with mobile devices to reach diverse audiences seeking authentic perspectives.
Connor Smith spent over a decade building and safeguarding the identity of more than 7,000 hotels across IHG's 21 brands. Today, he is willingly handing pieces of that corporate branding to strangers equipped with iPhones and ring lights.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
"What I'm realizing is as the role of the creator becomes increasingly important for our marketing, in order to reach all of the different audiences that we need to reach, and in order to build the trust that we need to build… I really had to let go."
Connor Smith, Senior Vice President of Global Brands at IHG
Smith's remarks at the Skift Creator Summit in New York City on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, echo a broader industry-wide sentiment of placing greater trust in independent creators to secure genuine credibility with modern travelers.
This industry shift highlights how modern consumers, particularly younger demographics, often tune out traditional, over-produced advertising. Partnering with creators who produce raw, relatable video content allows massive hospitality brands to bypass consumer skepticism and foster authentic emotional connections far more effectively than corporate commercials.
The summit also featured insights from other industry figures, including Virgin Voyages senior director Alex Zeitz and content creator Oneika Raymond, alongside Skift Airlines Editor Gordon Smith.
Source: Skift
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