Today’s traveler is difficult to engage and even harder to captivate. As travel and tourism brands look to reach new markets and audiences in ways consistent with their values, brand partnerships have emerged as a vital strategy. Because 70% of consumers are fans of brand collaborations, some companies are able to drive up to 28% of their revenue as a result of these partnerships, according to a study by ADM Group. Clearly when brand values align and storytelling rings true, the results are powerful. These partnerships command attention and arrest consumer interest more effectively than either brand could on its own.
When brand partnerships are selected and executed thoughtfully, these creative collaborations unlock mutually beneficial opportunities, boost credibility, create unforgettable consumer experiences, and enhance brand relevance—all while generating top-tier media coverage and social conversation. Let’s explore several brand partnerships that delivered value and created impact for both clients and consumers.
CheapCaribbean Vacations x Broadway Plus: That’s So Fetch
CheapCaribbean Vacations isn’t like other online booking engines. Leaning into the hype around National Mean Girls Day on Oct. 3, MMGY took full advantage of the brand’s Millennial and Gen Z following’s love of fun and pop-culture trends. A partnership with Broadway Plus to throw “The Fetchest Party of the Year” at Grand Oasis Cancun capitalized on this hot moment in pop culture—elevating the brand’s reputation and its place in consumers’ consciousness.
A promotional two-day vacation package gave devotees of the film and musical an immersive experience designed to blend beachside luxury with Broadway flair. Featuring cabaret-style performances of select songs from the Tony-nominated musical “Mean Girls,” the package also included an all-day Pink Out Pool Party with a cast meet and greet. The campaign targeted entertainment and lifestyle media, pairing strategic PR with influencer partnerships and media hosting to maximize earned coverage.
The totally fetch CheapCaribbean Vacations event made a splash in top publications including Us Weekly, People Magazine, OK! Magazine and Page Six—generating over 730 million earned impressions. The press trip alone delivered more than 92 million impressions. Social media buzz added nearly 300,000 impressions from 88 user-generated posts, painting a picture of a pink-drenched paradise.
This partnership did more than raise awareness. It repositioned CheapCaribbean as an experience-first, culturally attuned brand for younger, trend-savvy travelers.
British Virgin Islands x Kenny Flowers: A Reason to Celebrate
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is where you go when you want to celebrate. And what better way to entice travelers to let loose on the islands than through a milestone partnership? To commemorate the 10th anniversary of clothing brand Kenny Flowers, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board collaborated with the stylish resort-wear brand to blend fashion, travel, and lifestyle into one unforgettable campaign.
Centered on the launch of the “BVIs Collection”—a vibrant line inspired by the islands’ natural beauty and laid-back luxury—the campaign included a destination photoshoot, immersive in-destination experiences, and a high-profile anniversary celebration. Influencers, fans of the brand, and media joined Kenny Flowers’ inner circle in the BVI to island-hop, sip “painkiller” cocktails at the iconic Soggy Dollar Bar, and capture the magic of celebrating life in one of the world’s most idyllic settings.
The collaboration also included a coveted trip giveaway: a five-night stay at Scrub Island Resort, round-trip airfare for two, resort credit, and Kenny Flowers spending money. The contest drew over 38,000 entries, driving substantial awareness and significantly growing BVI’s consumer database through opt-in email collection.
The results were striking. Over 350 pieces of content—including 52 in-feed posts and nearly 300 Instagram Stories—generated more than 10 million potential impressions. Blog posts and newsletters added further reach, helping travelers dream of their own BVI adventures. The partnership delivered an estimated ad value of nearly $300,000, amplifying the BVI’s positioning as the destination of choice for celebrating in style.
This creative collaboration wasn’t just about colorful prints and sun-soaked shores. It reinforced the BVI’s appeal as the go-to destination for life’s most joyful milestones while successfully blending influencer marketing, earned media, and experiential storytelling to capture the imaginations of a new wave of travelers.
Visit Costa Rica x Cirque du Soleil: Pura Vida Takes Center Stage
Visit Costa Rica’s brand embodies sustainability, wellness, and connection. Finding a kindred spirit in Cirque du Soleil, the destination partnered with the troupe on “ECHO,” its latest Big Top production, to boost visibility in the U.S. and Canada. This imaginative collaboration brought Costa Rica’s “pura vida” philosophy to life, creating brand affinity through a shared celebration of biodiversity, sustainability, and global kinship.
The “ECHO” storyline, inspired by the interdependence of people, animals, and the planet, mirrored Costa Rica’s own mission to preserve its natural beauty. The partnership immersed families and affluent audiences in Costa Rica’s values through unexpected avenues of art, theater, and live experience.
In Atlanta and Miami, Visit Costa Rica’s brand was present at 167 performances, engaging over 315,000 attendees through interactive on-site activations. Visitors explored a rainforest-inspired installation, offering a chance to win a Costa Rica getaway via QR code—a contest that drew more than 8,700 entries.
The integrated campaign paired out-of-home placements with strategic PR, media hosting, and influencer partnerships. Original content, including a Cirque RAW episode filmed in Costa Rica’s breathtaking landscapes, garnered 4.3 million video views—surpassing goals and bringing the destination’s sustainability story to a global audience.
The effort generated significant earned media buzz, with over 495 national articles and more than 560 million media impressions. Paid media, including two-minute integrations on NBC 6 and Telemundo 51, added 170,000 impressions. Social media engagement soared, with Visit Costa Rica recording more than 200% growth in unique engagements and a total reach of 7.8 million across key platforms.
This partnership reinforced the destination as a leader in sustainable travel, elevated its presence in critical U.S. and Canadian markets, and deepened its connection with the family travel segment through an unforgettable blend of art and advocacy.
Your 5 Key Takeaways
Brands can thrive with the right partner in the right market. To make your collaborations count, build your campaigns on these five core principles:
- Seek Authentic Audience Alignment
Partner with brands that share values and can help boost credibility. This creates natural, resonant entry points into new customer segments and results in messaging that feels more like a conversation and less like a pitch. - Turn the Buzz Into a Roar
Align with trends, news cycles, or marquee events to launch your brand partnership and to turn a spark into sustained visibility. These timely partnerships are more likely to earn media coverage—which often carries more weight with consumers than paid ads. - Let Brands Be Themselves
Ensure your brand and their partners maintain brand authenticity, allowing collaborations to feel organic, not choreographed. - Make It Tangible
To bring the partnership to life, consider hosting in-person activations that foster emotional resonance that digital messaging rarely replicates. These moments are shareable and personal and deepen consumer trust. - Create Brand Ambassadors
Consumers trust recommendations from sources they deem credible. Communicating your story and the alignment of both brands to the right influencers and journalists is crucial. Ensure that each brands’ ethos is reflected in their content to create real credibility with audiences and inspire advocacy for your brand.
What It All Means: Relevance, Resonance, Results
Brand partnerships aren’t just co-branded campaigns. They’re strategic storytelling tools and powerful expansion engines. When thoughtfully executed, they deliver wins across the board—cutting through the noise, unlocking new audiences, forging lasting consumer bonds, and ultimately leading to increased engagement and revenue.
Whether through traditional PR, social media, experiential activations, or a savvy combination of them all, smart alliances amplify brand impact. And whether you’re courting Gen Z with pop-culture references or engaging eco-minded travelers through purpose-driven narratives, partnerships pave the way for relevance, resonance, and results.
In an overwhelmed marketplace, the question isn’t if you should partner; it’s how to make your partnerships unforgettable.
