From Secret Spots to Selfie Stops
Published on December 4, 2025, at 9:36 a.m.
by Maggie Hill
Influencers call it “sharing the beauty.” Locals call it “ruining the peace.” Somewhere between the two lies the cost of going viral. As social media continues to shape travel trends, small and secluded destinations are feeling the weight of their newfound fame, experiencing both the economic benefits of tourism and the strain of overcrowding. Influencers now hold the same persuasive power as public relations professionals but often without the same strategy or responsibility.
Nowadays, influencers are the PR reps that nobody asked for. Many influencers travel to places that get them the best pictures to post on social media, making their feeds look aesthetic and curated. Without thinking, they post a viral picture, story or reel and within minutes a quiet spot is turned into a tourist magnet overnight.
Some of the first locations that come to my mind are Charleston, Greece, and even 30A. Hard to imagine now, but there was a time when these places didn’t mean stand-still traffic or hour-long dinner waits. But, with the rise of social media these secret getaways are now tourist hotspots.
Influencer posts often happen fast and are based on emotion rather than planning. Unlike PR campaigns, which are carefully thought out and aimed at specific audiences, influencer content usually focuses more on looks and likes. While PR professionals think about long-term impact, many influencers focus on making their content visually appealing, without realizing how it might affect the places they feature.
Influencers thrive on visibility. The more people who see their content, the better. But when every hidden location becomes a backdrop for content, that visibility can start to backfire. What’s meant to inspire can quickly turn into overexposure.
A great example of this is Pomfret, Vermont. Each fall, the quiet town transforms into a traffic jam full of iPhones and fall fashion fits. Influencers flock to Cloudland Road to capture the perfect picture, turning a local favorite into a viral backdrop seen by millions. What was once beautiful storytelling quickly spiraled into chaos, which resulted in blocked roads and frustrated residents who just wanted to enjoy autumn in peace.
It’s a perfect example of influencing gone wrong. The content itself wasn’t harmful, but the message spreads faster than the town could handle. Unintentional PR can reshape a location’s image overnight. Local officials have since shut down the road to non-locals during peak season, reminding both creators and audiences that visibility comes with a price.
Influencing goes beyond likes and views, it has real effects on the places and people behind the screen. What started as a simple picture can change how a community is seen and even how it functions. As social media continues to shape the way people travel, influencers should take better care of what they share. Showing a destination’s beauty is meaningful, but so is protecting the peace that made it special in the first place.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
