A partnership to make travel more visible – and attainable
Photo: Expedia
IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., has become one of the most visible travel-adjacent streamers online, drawing massive audiences to real-time broadcasts from cities and countries around the world. Expedia described his audience as more than 150 million followers across platforms, a reach that gives the company a direct route into younger travelers’ media habits.
The kickoff event is scheduled to run from 7:40 AM to about 7:40 PM Eastern on April 29, simulcast on IShowSpeed’s YouTube and Twitch channels. It will be available to view on his channel following the livestream as well. The itinerary sends him through four Caribbean destinations in one day: Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Maarten. Expedia said the route will use air, land, and sea transportation, including branded planes, boats, jet skis, and dune buggies.
“Travel inspiration today comes from creators who bring their audiences along in real time,” said Natalie Wills, senior vice president of brand marketing and creative at Expedia Group. “IShowSpeed has redefined how the younger generation discovers culture, entertainment, and experiences.”
The campaign’s central product is Exspeedia.com, a custom site where fans can follow IShowSpeed’s trips, watch clips and behind-the-scenes content, browse bookable stays, flights, and activities, and vote on where he should travel next. The site also includes gamified features and links back into Expedia’s booking platform.
Partaking in the Expedia/IShowSpeed sweepstakes
Photo: Expedia
The partnership also includes a sweepstakes-style component. Fans in the US, Canada, and Mexico who book and complete a trip through Exspeedia.com can enter for a chance to meet IShowSpeed during a future tour. Expedia said two winners will be announced by the end of September 2026, and each may bring a guest.
The campaign arrives as travel brands are working harder to capture younger travelers before they begin searching on traditional booking sites. Expedia’s own 2026 travel trend reporting has pointed to media-driven trip planning, including screen-inspired travel, as a major influence on Gen Z and millennial travelers.
IShowSpeed’s overseas livestreams have drawn attention from tourism officials and media outlets, including a 2025 visit to Lithuania that The Washington Post described as part entertainment spectacle and part destination marketing effort aimed at younger global audiences.
Expedia said the IShowSpeed partnership will continue beyond the Caribbean, with future North American stops and additional social content through the new @Exspeedia_ TikTok handle, as well as Expedia’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.
“By partnering with IShowSpeed as his Official Travel Partner, Expedia is meeting young travelers where they already are,” Wills said, “and showing them that no matter how big or small their travel ambitions are, Expedia is the one place to make them happen.” 
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