Marcus Yong, Vice President of Global Marketing at Klook, dives into the heart of the travel community at Klook’s first KREATORVERSE event that has significantly grown since the formation of the Klook Kreator program.
Why the emphasis on content, and how did that lead into the formation of the Klook Kreator Program?
Marcus: Travel today has fundamentally changed. It used to be about guidebooks and searching through Google, but now it’s mobile and social-first. Travelers are increasingly turning to short-form video content for inspiration, with authenticity and user-generated recommendations holding significant weight.
My mum actually asked me to take her to Fukusaki, a place in Japan she discovered through TikTok! This is a great example of how social media is driving travel trends. Travel is personal, so we’re building this community that shares personal, authentic content. We decided to formalize this with the Kreator Program, to cultivate a community of travel content creators who partner with us to share their travel experiences.
How has the Klook Kreator program evolved in this one year since its launch, and what sets it apart from other initiatives out there?
Marcus: Since we’ve launched this exactly one year ago in 2023, we’ve now created the world’s largest travel community with over 20,000 creators hailing across 16 markets. And what keeps it going is that emphasis on community and people. It’s not just a transactional relationship - we don’t only push experiences, but tailor them to fit the Kreators’ unique style and build a deeper relationship with them.
We’ve introduced initiatives for Kreators to grow and learn with us, creating learning labs, community trips, and more. We’ve embarked on collaborative partnerships with platforms like TikTok to make travel experiences directly bookable within the content. And as part of our ongoing innovation, we’ve introduced monetization features, like Klook Kreator Shops, to give our Kreators more ways to benefit from their travel content.
How do you help Kreators who just came onto the program?
Marcus: Any Kreator that signs up, gets a starter kit, they have a personalized affiliate link, have an affiliate manager. A lot of the processes are self-serve, so we want to give them the tools to succeed, such as a dashboard to show available deals, or even which partners to work with.
What’s next for the Klook Kreator program?
Marcus: We’re continuously evolving, with a greater focus on community. We’re committed to exploring new ways for Kreators to earn through the platform, alongside improved tools and support to empower Kreators and streamline communication. What Kreators can look forward to are Kreator trips, workshops, and parties for engagement, and even more sponsorship opportunities together with our partners.
At the end of the day, this program is only possible because of the great people we work with and we can’t wait to continue creating and collaborating with our Kreators.
