Darryl is the founder and CEO of LFG, which is like the "Spotify for travel" and is an Antler program grad.
Previously he held positions in Grab and was Chief of Staff at Quqo.
Guest Author: Darryl Han
Hate him or love him – you have to give IShowSpeed’s antics credit.
Just so we are clear, I’m talking about the context of his recent Southeast Asia tour.
When IShowSpeed, simply known as Speed, hit Southeast Asia, it wasn’t just another influencer trip – it was a seismic shift in how we think about travel, content, and cultural exchange.
As stupid as I thought the stream was – let’s be real, night after night, chopsticks hovering over my dinner, eyes glued to clips of this teenager causing chaos across the region. The memes, the chaos, the pure unfiltered madness of it all. And I wasn’t alone – millions were doing the same (literally).
That’s when it hit me: this wasn’t just content anymore. This was a whole new way of experiencing travel, one chaotic livestream at a time. And that’s exactly why we need to talk about what this means for the future of travel content and tourism.
The New Creator Tourism Wave
Picture this: Speed, with his 32 million YouTube subscribers (with 3.1 billion total views), launches into Southeast Asia like Katy Perry’s firework.
Now, while we can’t pin down exactly how many kids booked flights after watching Speed’s escapades, let’s look at the bigger picture.
The influencer marketing world is on fire, with 63% of marketers ramping up their budgets in this area. In fact, the global influencer ad spend was estimated at around US$30.8 billion. Why? Because it works!
A solid 8 in 10 young travelers (at least in Asia Pacific) have booked a holiday after seeing it on social media. Surely that’s more powerful than any travel billboard.
What’s driving this? Trust. Plain and simple. 61% of consumers trust influencers’ recommendations – that’s a lot more than the 38% who trust branded social media content.
It’s like getting travel advice from a friend, if that friend had millions of followers and a penchant for over-the-top reactions.
Keeping It Real (Really Real)
Now get this. Speed’s not out there with a script and a film crew. He’s raw, unfiltered, and sometimes a bit of a mess. And guess what? That’s exactly what the people want (for some reason).
A whopping 90% of consumers say authenticity is key when deciding which brands to support. And when it comes to making decisions, 79% say user-generated content heavily impacts their choices.
So why does this matters for a streamer like Speed?
70% of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities. It’s not about polished perfection anymore – it’s about relatability. And here’s a fact that may surprise you: micro-influencers (like your everyday content creators, me included) drive 60% higher engagement rates compared to macro-influencers.
It’s not just about the follower count anymore, folks. It’s about connection.
Live-Streaming: The New Tourism Brochure?
Now, let’s talk about live-streaming. It’s not just for gamers anymore. Twitch alone had 2.41 million average concurrent viewers last year. That’s a lot of eyeballs!
Some marketers are catching on, eyeing live-stream influencer marketing. In fact, Facebook live videos get 6 times as many interactions as regular videos.
The average internet user spends about 2.5 hours a day on social media. That’s a lot of time for cultural osmosis. It’s like being there without leaving your home.
Could streaming be the next-gen travel shows like Anthony Bourdain No Reservation or Parts Unknown? Not trying to spit Bourdain here, trust me, I’m one of his biggest fan. But let’s be honest, new generation travelers will most likely not know him. But they will sure know Speed and others.
Cultural Exchange, Gen Z Style
This is the funny part. Speed’s out there, butchering local languages (“nasi melak”), making a fool of himself trying local food (literally choking on durian), and you know what?
It’s beautiful. It’s raw. It’s real cultural exchange.
But what was the real showstopper of Speed’s Southeast Asian tour? The fan interactions. This wasn’t just talking about a few selfies and autographs. This was next-level engagement that had local authorities scratching their heads and tourism boards (probably) taking furious notes.
Remember when Speed visited Uncle Roger’s new restaurant at Pavilion mall in Kuala Lumpur? The place was so packed, Uncle Roger probably skipped a heart beat for a moment. It just goes to show, when influencers collide, the results are even more explosive.
In Vietnam, Speed got a taste of what it’s like to be a rock star – or maybe a runaway bride. Image Speed cruising down the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, when suddenly he’s got a tail of enthusiastic local fans on motorbikes chasing him and even planting kisses on him through his car window.
My personal favorite? The impromptu KFC delivery. That’s right. A fan literally threw a KFC meal box into Speed’s car – Speed even taking a bite of it and claiming how good KFC is in Vietnam. I wonder if KFC Vietnam sales went up after this.
It’s one thing to have followers online, but when those virtual numbers translate into real-world crowds willing to risk life, limb, and perfectly good fried chicken? That’s power you can’t buy with any marketing budget.
The Future of Travel Content Coming at Speed
Look, I’m not saying IShowSpeed is the future of tourism. But I am saying that the kid’s onto something. The lines between content creation, tourism, and cultural exchange are blurring faster than my terrible eye vision.
We’re entering an era where an impromptu live stream can do more for a destination than a million-dollar ad campaign. It’s exciting, it’s unpredictable, and yeah, sometimes it’s a bit cringe. But isn’t that what travel’s all about?
This isn’t just about Speed, though. It’s a testament to the changing nature of celebrity and influence. We’re seeing a shift from the untouchable, picture-perfect stars of the past, to these more relatable, accessible figures who feel like friends to their followers.
For the travel industry, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. On one hand, the level of engagement and excitement an influencer like Speed can generate is unparalleled. On the other hand, managing these spontaneous crowd situations requires a whole new playbook.
One thing’s for sure – the days of relying solely on traditional ads are long gone.
The new wave of travel inspiration is riding in on a motorbike, probably live-streaming, and might just come with a side of unexpected fried chicken.
So, to my travel industry friends out there – it’s time to embrace this shift. The TikTok generation is here, and they’re bringing their ring lights.
