Honeymooning for 11 years across 7 continents and 70 countries, Mike & Anne Howard are The World’s Longest Honeymooners and founders of the popular travel site, HoneyTrek.com. Using Anne’s background as a magazine editor and Mike’s as a digital media strategist and photographer, the Howards started HoneyTrek in 2011 to chronicle their journey and wrote National Geographic’s bestselling book on couples adventure travel, Ultimate Journeys for Two and the first travel book on glamping in North America. The Howards inspire couples to explore the world and their passions, bond through shared experiences, and celebrate life at every turn. Having reviewed 200 luxury hotels and adventure outfitters across all seven continents, they know the five-star side of travel, but also how to get to the heart of local culture. The Howards’ remarkable journey has been acclaimed by over 100 media outlets. Their travel advice has been the subject of feature articles in BBC Travel, InStyle, US. World News & Report, Brides, Globe and Mail, and The Washington Post. Their compelling story and charismatic ways, landed them a starring role in a Microsoft television commercial, while their travel-savvy and quality content creation is regularly employed by tourism boards from Visit Mexico to Travel Alberta. More and more brands are seeing the value of working with the Howards and find that few couples travel influencers come from such a place of professionalism and authenticity.
Our Partners
From technology companies to tourism boards, the brands we work with are varied yet have a common goal to delight and inspire through travel. In addition to our partnership examples below, we’ve had the honor of working with Visit Rwanda, Travel Tennessee, Visit Greece & The Dodecanese Islands, The Kindom of Bhutan, Ventura County Coast, I Feel Slovenia, Travel Wisconsin, The State of Guanajuato, Travel Nevada, Visit Idaho, The Cayman Islands, and dozens more DMOs! When it comes to travel and lifestyle brands, we’ve worked with Allianz Travel Insurance, Nalgene, Shiftpod, Relion Batteries, GoPro, Quark Expeditions, and other brands looking for quality content creators and a trusted voice.
Editorial & Marketing Campaigns
Often thought of as a “college town,” Madison needed help getting the word out to savvy travelers about growing strengths as a multi-dimensional, eco-friendly city. They hired HoneyTrek to show people how cool their sustainable offerings could be. Starting by embracing the slow travel and digital nomad movement, Mike & Anne rented an apartment for two weeks of thorough exploring and living like a local. They used that extra time to seek out top-notch plant-based restaurants, vintage shopping, farmers’ markets, outdoor recreation options, eco-friendly transportation, and small businesses with a give-back component. So when a traveler is looking for where to stay, eat, drink, and play, they can look to HoneyTrek’s content to discover options that are as good for the community and planet as they are for good times. Taking it a step further, Mike & Anne volunteered on two occasions and their voluntourism efforts even made the local news, showcasing HoneyTrek as the prime example of this travel trend. Doing everything from joining a yard work party at the Arboretum to trying aerial silks at the non-profit Madison Circus Space, the unexpected nature of their content gained a lot of attention and benefit to Wisconsinites and travelers alike.
- Campaign Reach: 438,419
- Campaign Engagement (comments, likes, shares): 24,009
- See a sampling of the 151 pieces of content created in this two-week campaign.
UnCruise Alaska
Virtually everyone has an “Alaska Cruise” on their bucket list and, as a result, mega-ships dominate the market. With such a wild landscape, we wanted to show people a more adventurous and sustainable way to explore the fjords, archipelagos, and surrounding rainforests. The HoneyTrek community trusts us to choose environmentally-minded tour operators who know how to have fun, so UnCruise was a perfect fit. Speaking to a younger demographic and also the RV community who rarely takes to the sea, we showed a new audience how epic small-ship cruising can be.
- Campaign Reach: 634,984
- Campaign Engagement (comments, likes, shares): 84,674
- See a sampling of the 88 pieces of content created in this 10-day campaign.
Microsoft & Dell Television Commercial
For this Windows 10 campaign, Microsoft was looking for real people who’ve used technology to pursue their passions. They tapped leaders in their fields from Tony-award-winning set designers to NFL coaches and one pair of travel bloggers. Out of all the couple’s travel influencers they could have chosen, HoneyTrek made the top of their list. Having successfully completed this international TV campaign with Microsoft, their ad agency McCann Erickson, and famed director Jake Scott of RSA Films, we can offer our experience with:
- Ideation and content development for proposals and assets needed for Fortune 500 clients and award-winning production teams
- On-camera composure and professionalism needed to perform on a 100-person shoot for a million-dollar production
- SAG accreditation to work in major Hollywood Studios
- See our behind-the-scenes blog on the making of the commercial.
When Glacier National Park was packed all summer long and battling the impacts of over-tourism, Glacier Country Montana Tourism didn’t want to attract more visitors—they wanted to educate the ones coming in droves. To do this, in a fun and impactful way, they asked HoneyTrek to use their expertise in storytelling, camping, road-tripping, and sustainable travel to create a #RecreateResponsibly campaign that would lead visitors to lesser-traveled destinations and leave them better than they found them. Over the course of 12 days, HoneyTrek traveled from the Bitterroot Mountains to the far north of Kootenai Country, through three national forests, dynamic Native American territories, charming small towns, the biggest freshwater lake in the West, and a bunch more in between. Weaving Leave No Trace principles into their daily adventures, they organically showed how fun and easy Recreating Responsibly could be.
- Campaign Reach: 570,009
- Campaign engagement: 33,781
- See full editorial and social campaign touch-points here
Día de Muertos Campaign for Lonely Planet & Visit Mexico
- Using social media effectively for maximum engagement and reach across Facebook Live, Instagram Photography, Instagram Stories, Snapchat Takeovers, Pinterest Boards, and Twitter Chats.
- Creating long-form articles and professionally shot and edited video
- Leadership skills in running a local videography team comprised of a DP, editor, and assistant
- Communicating and meeting the needs of multiple departments, across editorial, sales, and social.
- Campaign Reach: 3,014,186
- Engagement (comments, likes & shares): 28,244
- See full editorial and social campaign touchpoints here.
Florida is an incredible destination that is often misunderstood. Known for its theme parks, beach condos, and retirement communities, the state is often dismissed by the young and adventurous. HoneyTrek set out to re-write the narrative with a 36-day road trip and accompanying editorial and marketing campaign with Visit Florida. Roadtripping 1,500 miles from Key West to Pensacola, we sought out the diversity of landscapes, cultures, and activities that make Florida so special. For two months, we engaged our 280,000+ social media fans with daily posts across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. We further curated our editorial with two in-depth blog posts, three crafted videos, and an hour-long Facebook Live of our Top 10 Florida Experiences. Our editorial initiatives reached 589,631 people and prompted 23,894 interactions (comments, shares, likes, re-tweets, etc). We surprised and delighted followers and undoubtedly ignited a new love for Florida.
- Campaign Reach: 591,388
- Campaign Engagement (comments, likes, shares): 23,894
- See full editorial and social campaign touchpoints here.
Dominican Republic Video Series
When looking for travel influencers to promote a little-known region of the DR, full of opportunities for adventure and romance, the Dominican Republic Tourism Board called the couples travel influencers at HoneyTrek. Over the course of a seven-day video shoot, we worked with their production team to highlight the beauty of the Southwest by embarking on the most exciting activities and showcasing them in a compelling way. The video above is one of a ten-part series, see more videos here and our behind-the-scenes blog here.
HoneyTrek Goes Viral for Travel North Dakota
We’ve created Facebook galleries about hundreds of regions and dozens of partners around the world, though we didn’t know how viral a HoneyTrek post could go until this one for Travel North Dakota. The photo album from our 900-mile road trip got close to a million views and 59,800+ positive engagements…and they weren’t just thumbs-ups and smiley faces. Pride, gratitude, nostalgia, and passion poured out of the comments from North Dakotans. A given picture of a monument was answered with childhood memories and their own family photos in front of that same spot. Side conversations were like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon where people were finding long-lost friends. We were so touched by the reactions and, apparently, KVRR News was too. This Fargo TV station interviewed us and just ran it as a two-part series on the spirit of travel and North Dakota. See Part 1 and Part 2. You know never know where a simple HoneyTrek post might go…
Our Services as Couples Travel Influencers
As travel influencers, we strive to engage our audience and increase conversion with compelling content, social media, native advertising, SEO boosts, contests, and a trusted voice in travel. Each of the services below is also available individually to create a custom campaign tailored to your brand’s needs.
- Marketing & Editorial Packages
- Social Media Promotion and Audience Engagement
- Hospitality & Glamping Consulting
- Destination, Resort & Excursion Reviews
- Freelance Writing and Photography
- Speaking Engagements
- Display Advertising
- (Email us for details or give us a call (888) 852-9383)
HoneyTrek Metrics
Social Media Followers………………………………………… 395,785
Domain Authority……………………………………………… 53
Monthly Unique Visitors ………………………………………. 52,775
Avg. Time Spent on Site ………………………………………. 2 min. 13 sec.
Avg. Page Views ……………………………………………… 2.1/session
Gender (M/F) ………………………………………………… 46%/54%
Age ………………………………………………………… 18-34yrs(44%) / 35-55yrs(34%)
Partner Testimonials
“You guys are so awesome. Love, love, love the social media you created. The posts are really resonating and I love seeing all the comments— looks like it is inspiring many people to give Oceanside a look. As for the blog…Wow. What a masterpiece! Appreciate all that you included. You really got to the heart of our destination.”
– Shae Geary; Director of PR & Corporate Communications Oceanside, California
“Working on this project for the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau with Mike and Anne Howard from HoneyTrek was not only an absolute blast and such a great piece for our destination, it’s been one of the highlights of my time here in Mariposa County. The content that HoneyTrek produced was phenomenal. The social stories were well-produced and engaging, the content featured our important stakeholders well. Mike and Anne fully understood our organizational needs and made sure what they were doing was what we were looking for. I would 100% recommend working with Mike, Anne, and Honeytrek in the future to any DMO!”
– Tony McDaniel; Director of Communications, Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau
“You have just blown us away with this amazing work! Thank you so much for this campaign reporting. We are thrilled to share this with our team and our partners. GREAT job!”
– Amanda Murphy; Director of Communications at the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
“Mike & Anne were an absolute pleasure to work with! Very easy-going and open to doing pretty much anything. It helps that they are so curious with a passion for learning about new places and new things to do. Everyone they met commented on how friendly and interested they were about what they did and what they thought of the place they lived. I think it helped make their content more genuine, coming from a place of really diving in like a local. And speaking of content, amazing photos, videos, etc! Overall, extremely happy!”
– Jodi Holliday; Marketing and Media Manager, Tourism Saskatchewan
“We have loved and devoured all your Silver State content. You two are true Nevadans at heart and we are so appreciative of our partnership and friendship.”
– Tracie Barnthouse; Chief Communications Officer, Nevada Division of Tourism
“Anne and Mike of HoneyTrek partnered with Glacier Country to do a “Recreate Responsibly Road Trip” storytelling campaign with Western Montana’s Destination Marketing Organization, and they did a phenomenal job. They are absolute professionals but don’t take themselves too seriously, and they were able to create content around what could have been a pretty dry topic and made it so approachable and fun. They were responsive, delivered more than what was agreed on, had great ideas, and worked independently within the parameters we talked about–I really can’t recommend them enough. Add to that, they’re delightful people to boot!”
– Lucy Beighle; Director of Communications, Glacier Country Montana
“I met Anne and Mike for the first time at TravMedia’s International Media Marketplace in New York, where we instantly hit it off – their energy is infectious. We had one of the most productive meetings I have had at a speed-dating style media event. Mike and Anne immediately followed up and they were traveling in Florida within a few weeks. They over-delivered and produced beautiful content that highlighted the diversity of Florida, which was one of our campaign goals. I would be thrilled to work with them again and would recommend their work to any travel and tourism brand.”
– Meaghan Dougherty; Public Relations Director, Visit Florida
“Mike and Anne are the real deal amongst a lot of clutter out there in travel.”
– Mary Carey; Host ~ RMWorldTravel with Robert & Mary Carey and Rudy Maxa
“I have had the pleasure of working with Mike and Anne on their book, Ultimate Journeys for Two. They are proactive marketers who tirelessly hit the pavement seeking out innovative and creative ways to promote their title. Mike and Anne are well-spoken, adventurous souls who will be successful in any challenge they may choose to tackle.
– Daneen Goodwin; Senior Marketing Director, National Geographic
“This is one of the best blog posts I’ve ever received from travel influencers. Very inspiring. And WOW, your campaign reporting is amazing. You guys are super organized and are raising the bar.”
—Sarah Scoltock; Senior Director of Communications UnCruise Adventures
“As seasoned writers and influencers, the Howards understand all the intricacies of putting together a program that is complete yet allows some wiggle room, that’s inclusive without being exhausting. Here in chilly Quebec, they embraced it all with determination, did not skip a beat, and never lost their smile. Bravo. Personally speaking, the time I spent with them was 9/10 fun and 1/10 work. Hopefully, I will have the pleasure of working with them again.”
– Nancy Dacres; Account Executive, Quebec City Tourism
“HoneyTrek is probably the best round-the-world travelogue style blog I’ve seen…ever!“
– Christine Gilbert; Acclaimed Blogger, Almost Fearless
“Mike & Anne are consummate professionals with the digital marketing experience to understand our goals. We’ve done campaigns with big media brands but you are spending a lot more money for less personal attention. Their Editorial and Marketing campaign has delivered good ROI through social media exposure, banner ads, and SEO linking.“
– Paul McDonald; Marketing Manager, Active Adventures
“This is amazing. Thank you, again, for the fantastic coverage, and hope to find an opportunity to welcome you back to North Dakota again someday. It looks like several fans have plenty of recommendations for your next journey.“
– Kim Schmidt; Communications Manager, Travel North Dakota
“They don’t just have a website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts for their journey, they’ve got a brand: HoneyTrek.“
– Chris Reynolds; Travel Editor, Los Angeles Times
“The visual element of this romantic travel campaign was superb–really caught the moment. And wow, what a lovely reporting wrap-up! You two are true professionals. Great, great job! We can’t thank you enough.“
– Koleen Hamblin, PR Director for Visit Mendocino, California
“HoneyTrek’s editorial reviews are a real gem. It’s always a joy sharing pieces like these.“
– Douglas Foote; International Public Relations Manager, Park Hyatt
“It has been a pleasure working with Anne and Mike through the years. They’re always on time, submit only top-quality articles, very organized and personable with a professional and go-getter attitude. Without hesitation, they go above and beyond for Glamping.com and I can’t say enough good things about this lovely couple.”
– Mey Martinez; Editorial Coordinator & Product Manager, Glamping.com
HoneyTrek in the News
To see all of HoneyTrek’s press coverage, please visit our press section and check out our latest feature in People Magazine!
Contact HoneyTrek, Your Couples Travel Influencers
To find out how to work with couples travel influencers, Mike & Anne of HoneyTrek, please email us at Partnerships@HoneyTrek.com or call us anytime Monday-Sunday from 9am-7pm Pacific Time at (888) 852-9383. We would love to send you our current media kit, rate card, and brainstorm potential synergies between our brands. We look forward to working with you!
See you on the road,
Mike & Anne Howard