The Bahamas on a Trade Deal -- What a Hosted Press Trip Actually Looks Like
Every time I post from a beautiful resort, someone asks the same question: "Wait, do you pay for this?" Sometimes I do. Sometimes the trip is a paid campaign. And sometimes it is a trade deal, also called a hosted stay. Hosted travel is one of the least understood parts of the creator business, so I want to pull back the curtain and show you exactly how it works, using a real pitch I sent to Peace and Plenty Resort in Great Exuma, Bahamas.
What a Trade Deal Actually Means
A trade deal is an exchange of value. The property provides accommodations, and sometimes meals, experiences, or transfers. In return, the creator provides professional content and exposure. No cash changes hands, but make no mistake: it is a business agreement with real obligations on both sides.
This is the part people miss. A hosted stay is not a free vacation. On a typical hosted trip, I am up before sunrise for drone flights, shooting rooms before housekeeping arrives, capturing dining at peak light, and editing late into the night. The hotel is trusting me with its brand. I treat it with the same rigor as a paid contract, because that is exactly what it is.
How to Pitch It Fairly
A fair pitch is built on one principle: the value you deliver should equal or exceed the value of what you are asking for. If a three-night stay is worth a few thousand dollars at rack rate, your deliverables should be worth at least that to the property, whether measured in licensed photography, video assets, or audience reach.
A strong pitch includes who you are and why your audience fits their ideal guest, specific proposed deliverables with clear quantities and timelines, usage rights spelled out plainly, relevant examples of past work, and flexible dates, ideally in their slower season. Most importantly, it should be about them, not you. Hotels do not care that you have always dreamed of visiting. They care about filling rooms.
The Peace and Plenty Pitch
Peace and Plenty is a classic, family-friendly resort in George Town on Great Exuma, set on a stretch of impossibly turquoise water. When I researched the property, I noticed a gap: their imagery was lovely but limited, with very little vertical video, minimal aerial footage, and almost no content showing families actually experiencing the resort.
That gap became my pitch. Instead of leading with my follower count, I led with their opportunity. I proposed a family-focused content package built around the exact audience they wanted to reach: parents planning an easy, authentic Bahamian escape. I outlined drone footage of the bay and dock, family lifestyle content with my daughters in the shallow, kid-friendly water, room and dining photography, and short-form video designed for their social channels and website.
I also suggested dates in their shoulder season, when an extra occupied room costs them little and fresh content helps them fill the next peak. Framing the pitch around their business needs, not my wish list, is what makes a property take a pitch seriously.
What the Deliverables Look Like
Every hosted agreement I sign has deliverables in writing. For a resort like Peace and Plenty, a typical package looks like this: a set of professionally edited high-resolution photos licensed for the property's marketing, several short-form vertical videos, an aerial drone sequence, dedicated posts and Stories on my channels with proper disclosure, and all raw selects delivered within an agreed timeline.
I deliver in organized folders by use case, so the marketing team can drop images straight into their website, email, and social calendar. In most hosted deals, the licensed content alone is worth more than the room nights. That is the point.
Why Properties Say Yes
Properties say yes to hosted stays for practical reasons. Professional photo and video production is expensive. A traditional shoot with a crew can cost far more than a few comped nights. Trade deals let smaller and independent resorts refresh their content library without a large production budget.
They also gain authentic, guest-perspective content that feels more trustworthy than polished brochure imagery, plus exposure to a new, targeted audience. When the creator's audience matches their ideal guest, the value multiplies.
Tips for Creators Pursuing Hosted Travel
Build a portfolio first. Properties need to see what you can deliver before they invest in you. Research every property and pitch to a real gap in their content. Put everything in writing, including deliverables, deadlines, and usage rights. Always disclose hosted stays clearly to your audience; it is required by the FTC and it protects your credibility. Overdeliver on the first trip, because the best hosted relationships turn into paid ones. And know your worth: as your portfolio grows, move toward paid partnerships rather than trading indefinitely.
The Bottom Line
Hosted travel is a legitimate, valuable exchange when it is done with transparency and professionalism. The properties get content that works. The audience gets honest recommendations. And creators get the chance to build a business doing work they love. That is what the Bahamas on a trade deal really looks like: beautiful, yes, but built on a business plan.
Are you a property interested in a content partnership? Let's talk about what we can build together.