When Promotion Meets Risk: Who’s Responsible When Influencers Visit Your Region?

Explore the risks and responsibilities of influencer tourism. Learn who is liable when incidents occur and how regions can balance promotion with proper governance and insurance expectations.

Across Australia’s tourism landscape, one of the most powerful marketing forces isn’t found in traditional advertising budgets - it’s in the hands of content creators.

Influencers now play a central role in how destinations are discovered, experienced, and shared. Through carefully curated imagery, engaging video, and immersive storytelling, often enhanced with drone footage, they bring regional locations to life for audiences that traditional campaigns struggle to reach.

For many communities, particularly regional towns, this exposure is invaluable. It builds awareness, shapes perception, and can directly influence visitation.

But beneath the surface of this opportunity sits a question that many regions have yet to fully consider:  What happens when something goes wrong?

The Blurred Line Between Visitor and Business Operator

At first glance, influencers look like any other visitor, exploring walking trails, capturing landscapes, enjoying local experiences.

However, their intent is fundamentally different.

They are not simply travelling for leisure, they are producing content. Building audiences. Generating commercial value.

Whether through direct payment, sponsored experiences, gifted accommodation, or long-term brand partnerships, influencers are, in most cases operating as a business.

And like any business operating within a destination, their activities introduce a level of risk.

• Climbing to capture the perfect shot

• Filming in less accessible or unmanaged locations

• Using drones or specialised equipment

• Creating content in dynamic or unpredictable environments.

These behaviours are often exactly what makes their content compelling. But they can also increase exposure to incidents.

If an Incident Occurs - Who Carries the Risk?

This is where things become less clear.

If an influencer is injured while capturing content, or if their equipment causes damage, several questions quickly emerge:

• Is the influencer responsible as an independent operator?

• Should their own insurance respond - assuming they have appropriate cover in place?

• Or does liability shift toward the land manager, local council, or tourism organisation?

In many cases, these questions are not addressed upfront.

And without clear expectations, regions may unknowingly be exposed to claims, particularly if the influencer’s activities could be interpreted as being encouraged, hosted, or facilitated.

The Insurance Gap Few Talk About

Traditional visitors rarely raise complex liability considerations. But influencers occupy a different space.

If they are:

• Receiving payment or benefits

• Creating content for commercial use

• Representing brands or destinations.

Then the expectation, in most industries, would be that they operate with appropriate business structures, including public liability insurance.

Yet in practice, this isn’t always the case.

Many regions engage with influencers informally. Others host them without formal agreements. Some simply benefit from organic visits without any direct involvement.

In each scenario, the line of responsibility can quickly become blurred.

The Value They Bring - And Why It Matters

Despite these risks, the value influencers create is undeniable.

They:

• Extend a region’s digital reach exponentially

• Deliver authentic, experience-driven storytelling

• Influence travel decisions in real time

• Provide content that can be repurposed across marketing channels.

For regional communities with limited marketing budgets, this kind of exposure can be transformative.

A single well-executed campaign or even an organic visit, can put a destination on the map.

So, the question isn’t whether influencers should be part of a region’s tourism strategy – well, they already are…

Tasmania Case Example

Some destinations have begun to address this growing complexity more formally.

In Tasmania, elements of the parks system have been using a permit system for commercial content creation.

This includes influencers who are operating in a way that generates income or commercial benefit.

These permits can require:

• Proof of insurance

• A recognised business structure

• Approval for specific activities (such as drone use or filming in sensitive areas).

It’s not about restricting access - it’s about acknowledging that commercial activity carries different responsibilities. These policies have been reviewed.

A Question Worth Considering

As influencer marketing continues to evolve, regions are faced with a balancing act.

On one hand:

• The opportunity to gain powerful, cost-effective exposure

• The ability to reach new audiences and drive visitation.

On the other:

• The potential for unclear liability

• The absence of consistent expectations

• The risk of assuming responsibility without formal agreements.

So where should the line be drawn?

Should influencers be treated like any other visitor?Or like any other business operating within your destination?

And if they are operating as a business, should they also carry the same responsibilities?

Where This Leaves Regional Tourism

There is no single answer.

Each region will approach this differently based on its risk appetite, governance structures, and tourism strategy.

But one thing is becoming increasingly clear... As the role of influencers becomes more professional, structured, and commercially driven - the way regions engage with them may need to evolve as well.

Not to limit opportunity. But to better define responsibility.

Because in the end, sustainable tourism isn’t just about attracting attention.

It’s about ensuring that growth, exposure, and experience are supported by clarity, for everyone involved.

Learn More About Influencer Tourism Marketing

Learn how regional towns can leverage travel influencers and everyday visitors to boost tourism, increase online visibility, and grow their destination marketing reach.

The VisitReady Company works with regional communities, councils, and tourism organisations to navigate risk, strengthen capability, and build sustainable visitor economies.

If your region is engaging with influencers, formally or informally, perhaps now may be the time to consider NOT JUST the opportunity, but also the strategy and framework that will support it properly. Learn More>> 

The VisitReady Company Helping Regional Towns Thrive

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