Creator Backlash Hits Travel: From U.S. Open to Cruises
Giving influencers insider access at live tourism events and cruises like the U.S. Open is sparking backlash from paying guests.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The U.S. Open nearly doubled creator credentials to about 100 amid visitor complaints.
- 92% of destination marketing organizations are increasing or maintaining influencer budgets.
- Incidents of disruption occurred at tennis matches and a cruise line waterpark preview.
- Hotel and cruise brands continue leaning heavily on creators to reach younger audiences.
The travel industry and live events sector are facing a growing wave of pushback from paying consumers as organizers increasingly grant special access and insider perks to content creators. While aimed at capturing younger audiences, this strategy is irritating ticket-holding guests and igniting public debates.
A prime example is the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York City, which nearly doubled its content creator credentials to about 100 this year. The event serves as a major tourism draw, pulling over one million attendees, with the United States Tennis Association estimating that more than 40% of visitors originate from outside the local area and 8% from foreign countries.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
However, the pursuit of social media engagement has occasionally disrupted actual attendees. A TikTok video with over 750,000 views captured a woman posing in front of a ring light with the court and players as her backdrop, accompanied by captions expressing disbelief. Additionally, chair umpire Kader Nouni had to intervene during a match, addressing a hospitality suite directly: "Guys, please, in the suite behind me … please take your seat."
Similar tensions have surfaced at Formula 1 in Miami and aboard Norwegian Cruise Line, where guests objected to a creators-only first look at a new waterpark. Financial investments behind these efforts remain substantial; eMarketer projects social media creator revenue to top $21 billion this year, up nearly 17%, while Steller's 2026 report found that 92% of destination marketing organizations are boosting or holding influencer spending steady.
"Guys, please, in the suite behind me … please take your seat."
Kader Nouni
This trend highlights the ongoing friction between modern digital marketing imperatives and the expectations of premium ticket-holders. As venues attempt to accommodate both revenue-generating marketing audiences and paying customers simultaneously, brands face a delicate balancing act to ensure viral pursuits do not degrade the core live experience.
Although not every complaint stems directly from official creator programs—such as the U.S. Open clarifying that the noisy suite guests were not credentialed creators, or Norwegian noting its waterpark preview was a standard launch—the customer friction has become prominent enough that creators themselves are now discussing it on camera.
Source: Skift
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