TOP 100 TRAVEL INFLUENCERS: HIRE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & BRAND AMBASSADORS

Famous Top 100 travel influencers, keynote speakers and futurist thought leaders note that the concept today is more than just visiting destinations on a map. Instead, it’s about experiences, accessibility, culture, innovation and connection. The global Top 100 travel influencers and thought leaders who impact how we explore and interact with the world come from an extraordinary range of fields. 

For example, you’d find leading picks from hospitality and airlines to banking, credit cards, insurance, tech, logistics and retail. International Top 100 travel influencers list selections impact everything from loyalty programs and travel finance to sustainable tourism and digital experiences. Alongside business leaders, cultural figures — celebrity actors, musicians, authors and athletes — inspire exploration, highlight global awareness and influence how millions of people think about travel.

At the vanguard of strategic insight is celebrity Top 100 travel influencers brand ambassador Scott Steinberg, a futurist keynote speaker and consultant to 3000 brands. Scott’s work helps executives, organizations and audiences interpret shifts in travel behavior, emerging technology, and the cultural forces redefining travel. His impact as a leading Top 100 travel influencers pick spans strategic foresight, innovation and the human side of customer experience.

Across the board though, leaders from every field offer a blend of strategic leadership and cultural impact. Industry leaders come first, followed by celebrity Top 100 travel influencers whose global platforms propel inspiration and international curiosity.

Top 100 Travel Influencers, Keynote Speakers & Brand Partnerships Ambassadors

1. Scott Steinberg (Futurist Keynote Speaker & Consultant to 3000 Brands)

2. Tony Douglas (CEO, Etihad Airways)

3. Tewolde GebreMariam (Former CEO, Ethiopian Airlines)

4. Akbar Al Baker (CEO, Qatar Airways)

5. Ed Bastian (CEO, Delta Air Lines)

6. Robert Isom (CEO, American Airlines)

7. Scott Kirby (CEO, United Airlines)

8. Willie Walsh (Director General, IATA)

9. Mark Hoplamazian (CEO, Hyatt Hotels)

10. Anthony Capuano (CEO, Marriott International)

11. Sébastien Bazin (CEO, AccorHotels)

12. Keith Barr (CEO, InterContinental Hotels Group)

13. Arne Sorenson (Former CEO, Marriott)

14. Jeff Gennette (CEO, Macy’s – Retail Travel Partnerships)

15. Brian Chesky (CEO, Airbnb)

16. Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO, Uber – Mobility & Travel)

17. Tony Xu (CEO, DoorDash – Travel & Delivery Ecosystems)

18. Stephen Kaufer (Co‑Founder & CEO, TripAdvisor)

19. Glenn Fogel (CEO, Booking Holdings)

20. Mark Okerstrom (Former CEO, Expedia Group)

21. Barry Diller (Chairman, IAC & Expedia Founder)

22. Dara Treseder (CMO, 3D Systems – Travel Marketing Innovator)

23. Olivia Watkins (CMO, Target – Retail & Travel Experience)

24. Ryan Petersen (CEO, Flexport – Travel Logistics)

25. Kathy Wengel (Supply Chain & Travel Strategy Leader)

26. Laxman Narasimhan (CEO, Starbucks – Travel Retail)

27. Jane Sun (CEO, Trip.com)

28. Stephen Ridgway (Former CEO, Virgin Atlantic)

29. Chip Conley (Hospitality Innovator & Author)

30. Craig Smith (CEO, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts)

31. Arne M. Sorensen (Hospitality Thought Leader)

32. Daniel Zhang (Executive Chairman, Alibaba – Travel Commerce)

33. Jack Ma (Co‑Founder, Alibaba – Global Travel Ecosystems)

34. Pony Ma (CEO, Tencent – Travel Tech Integration)

35. Jeronimo Folgueira (Former CEO, NH Hotel Group)

36. Dara Treseder (Marketing & Travel Experience)

37. Ruth Porat (CFO, Alphabet – Travel & Tech Strategy)

38. Sundar Pichai (CEO, Alphabet – Travel Tech Platforms)

39. Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft – Travel Tech Innovation)

40. Tim Cook (CEO, Apple – Travel Hardware & Services)

41. Jensen Huang (CEO, NVIDIA – AI in Travel)

42. Shantanu Narayen (CEO, Adobe – Digital Travel Experiences)

43. Beth Galetti (SVP HR, Google – Travel Workforce)

44. Kathleen Hogan (CHRO, Microsoft – Travel Culture)

45. Ellyn Shook (Chief Leadership Officer, Accenture – Global Travel Strategy)

46. Francine Katsoudas (Former CHRO, Cisco – Travel Policies)

47. Anne Finucane (Vice Chair, Bank of America – Travel Finance Strategy)

48. Jane Fraser (CEO, Citi – Travel & Card Programs)

49. Stephen Squeri (CEO, American Express – Travel Benefits)

50. Ajay Banga (CEO, Mastercard – Travel Payment Innovation)

51. Michael Miebach (CEO, Mastercard – Global Travel Payments)

52. David Solomon (CEO, Goldman Sachs – Travel and Finance)

53. Brian Moynihan (CEO, Bank of America – Travel Loyalty Finance)

54. Terry Lundgren (Former CEO, Macy’s – Travel Retail Leadership)

55. Jeff Bezos (Founder, Amazon – Travel Tech Impact)

56. Richard Branson (Founder, Virgin Group – Travel & Exploration)

57. Sam Altman (CEO, OpenAI – Future of Travel Vision)

58. Katherine Maher (Former CEO, Wikimedia – Travel Knowledge & Culture)

59. Chris Nassetta (CEO, Hilton Worldwide – Global Hospitality)

60. Mark Hoplamazian (Commercial Travel Strategy)

61. Chip Conley (Boutique Hospitality Thought Leader)

62. Horst Schulze (Hospitality Pioneer & Ritz‑Carlton Co‑Founder)

63. Rex Tillerson (Former CEO, ExxonMobil – Global Travel Policy Influence)

64. Ursula Burns (Former CEO, Xerox – Corporate Travel Innovation)

65. Tim Armstrong (CEO, Hightower Advisors – Travel Financial Systems)

66. Denise Young Smith (People & Culture, Travel Workforce)

67. Amy Webb (Futurist & Travel Trends Analyst)

68. Nilofer Merchant (Leadership & Travel Innovation)

69. Adam Grant (Organizational Psychologist & Work‑Travel Trends)

70. Brené Brown (Leadership & Cultural Travel Insight)

Celebrity Content Creators, Speakers & Influencers

71. Oprah Winfrey (Media Icon & Global Traveler)

72. Anthony Bourdain (Late Chef & Travel Explorer)

73. Rick Steves (Travel Author & TV Host)

74. Bear Grylls (Adventurer & Survival Expert)

75. Lin‑Manuel Miranda (Cultural Ambassador & Traveler)

76. Issa Rae (Actor & Lifestyle Explorer)

77. John Krasinski (Actor & Global Storyteller)

78. Emma Watson (Actor & Cultural Travel Advocate)

79. Natalie Portman (Actor & Global Awareness)

80. Michael B. Jordan (Actor & Travel Lifestyle)

81. Simu Liu (Actor & Cultural Exchange Advocate)

82. Cate Blanchett (Actor & Global Arts Traveler)

83. Donald Glover (Artist & World Culture Influencer)

84. Jennifer Lopez (Artist & International Lifestyle)

85. Ryan Reynolds (Actor & Global Storyteller)

86. Chris Evans (Actor & Philanthropic Traveler)

87. Scarlett Johansson (Actor & Global Presence)

88. Beyoncé (Musician & Culture Ambassador)

89. Taylor Swift (Musician & World Tour Traveler)

90. Rihanna (Musician & Global Influence)

91. LeBron James (Athlete & Travel Advocate)

92. Serena Williams (Athlete & International Ambassador)

93. Steph Curry (Athlete & Cultural Connector)

94. Naomi Osaka (Athlete & Global Lifestyle Advocate)

95. Megan Rapinoe (Athlete & Travel Participant)

96. David Beckham (Athlete & Global Brand Ambassador)

97. Usain Bolt (Athlete & Travel Culture Voice)

98. Chris Hemsworth (Actor & Adventure Traveler)

99. Zendaya (Actor & Global Fashion & Culture Traveler)

100. BTS (Musicians & Global Cultural Ambassadors)

What Makes a Travel Influencer Matter

Leading Top 100 travel influencers today drive not just itineraries, but how industries adopt technology, build partnerships, design experiences, and think about sustainable, equitable global movement. SMEs and KOLs lead with strategy, culture, innovation and storytelling — influencing everything from airline loyalty programs to the way people connect with places and each other.

From CEOs impacting travel policy and experience to celebrities who inspire exploration and curiosity,experts help us think about not just where we go — but how and why we travel, and what travel means in a globally connected world.