Chasing Creative Partners with Mereva Hotel in Tulum, Mexico to Create UGC

Introduction to Creative Partnerships in Tourism/Travel

Chasing Creative has worked with resorts, hotels, and Airbnbs in Hawaii, Cuba, Spain, St. Lucia, and more. Recently, we took a quick two hour flight from Florida to first-time for us location. Tulum, Mexico, is picturesque destination known for its pristine beaches and vibrant culture, is becoming a hub for creative partnerships in the travel, digital nomads, and tourism industry.

In this growing region including the new Tulum Airport, Mereva Hotel stands out as a boutique hotel that feels safe, relaxing, and private. This article delves into the dynamics of such creative collaborations, highlighting how they benefit both the creators and the hotel. Giving those looking to travel and more realistic expectation through Reels, Stories, and authentic UGC.

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Overview of Mereva Hotel, Tulum

Mereva Hotel, nestled along the coast about 10 minutes from the heart of Tulum, offers more than just a luxurious stay. It's an experience that intertwines with the natural beauty and cultural richness of the region. Here, guests find themselves immersed in an environment that encourages creativity and connection, making it an ideal partner for content creators looking to capture the essence of Tulum.

Due to the size you quickly can become quick friends with other travelers or find an open space around the property to relax. When speaking to the General Manager at Mereva he said, "we want to be different from the other hotels not mandating a ton of rules—you are here to enjoy and relax".

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The Rise of UGC in the Travel Industry

User-generated content has become a cornerstone of marketing in the travel industry. It allows potential guests to see authentic experiences from real travelers, building trust and curiosity. Mereva Hotel recognizes this trend and actively seeks creative partners to showcase their unique experiences through UGC.

But they don't have to work with professional creatives alone—many guests—enjoy sharing and tagging the hotel across platforms to share with friends, family, and followers their travel experience. It isn't only good for the hotel though—its a great badge of honor to be a creator for these hotels—in fact many times it helps you connect with other creators locally who want to hear about your projects and share about their own in the area.

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‍Benefits of UGC for Hotels and Guests

UGC offers a win-win scenario for hotels like Mereva and their guests. For the hotel, it's an opportunity to display genuine guest experiences, enhancing their brand authenticity. For creators, it's a chance to showcase their talent and build their portfolio in a stunning setting like Tulum.

With hundreds of collaborations under our belts we've experienced both planned out creative and shooting which is more geared towards website content and relaxed open shoots that embody what good UGC is all about. In this case it was the later which made the experience all the better for capturing the best light, scenes, and environments as we went about our stay.

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Exploring Tulum: A Haven for Creatives

Tulum's natural beauty and cultural landscape make it a paradise for creatives. From the azure waters to the ancient ruins, there's an endless source of inspiration. This makes it an ideal location for creating compelling UGC that captures the essence of a traveler's experience. If you are a creative that thrives off of sunrises this is your spot.

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Crafting a UGC Strategy with properties like Mereva Hotel

Creating a successful UGC strategy involves collaboration, creativity, and understanding the brand's ethos. Mereva Hotel works closely with content creators to ensure that the UGC aligns with their brand values while also giving creators artistic freedom. We've had lots of people ask us how we are able to travel to such locations and I can't stress enough the following tips.

1. Create and outline a brief or presentation. I took the time to think through our story as creatives, our offer, and what social proof would highlight us the best. I then shared this with each property we began conversations with.
2. Don't be afraid of hearing "not right now" or "we are currently set with UGC" lots of properties are being reached out to daily, having things planned, or are at capacity. Keep contact information and follow up later—most of the time they are surprised you take the time.
3. Try to understand what you can highlight best during your stay—there is usually a lot of aspects to cover—what represents your style and creative that also compliments the property.
4. Deliver on agreed handoffs and work in a timely manner post production. How you end the collaboration is setting you up for future referrals and opportunities in the area. Generally, we post while staying and properties invite us back or if have a sister property may want images of that next.

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‍The Role of Social Media in UGC Distribution

Social media platforms play a crucial role in distributing UGC, reaching a wide and diverse audience. This section explores the best practices for sharing UGC on various social media platforms to maximize impact. Being proactive before, during, and after a trip can help drive more awareness for both parties. Inquire with the property to see if they might be willing to offer a discount for your network to take advantage of in the future.

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We Hope to return to the Mereva Hotel

As a family of three this hotel was perfect for us. We had an ocean view room, plunge pool, and plenty of space to relax inside our out. Then a few steps through the beautiful stairways and greenery you are at the beach. While mostly rocky the hotel provides complimentary ocean gear and water shoes for your enjoyment. Walking the stretched dock into the bright blue ocean will be engrained in my mind for years to come.

Another aspect when comparing to an all-inclusive we stayed at after was the quality of food and service at the Mereva—it's top notch. Most staff knew myself, wife, and daughter by name and what we generally liked in the morning and when out by the beach. This type of service can be hard to come by these days.

The food as well has a special touch and while we averaged roughly $80-120 per dinner and drinks and had what I would consider first class dishes that in a large city in the US would be much more expensive. If you have a choice, go for the included breakfast as well—it doesn't disappoint and has several options both local and healthy.

If you are looking to learn more about UGC travel content or plan your visit to Mereva Tulum shoot us a message. We would be happy to help!