Ross Borden, co-founder and CEO of Matador Network, believes that the future of travel marketing lies in connecting immersive creator experiences with destination storytelling. His company’s latest venture, “Matador House,” aims to show how tourism boards and travel brands can effectively engage with the creator economy.

“The creator economy is the future of marketing,” Ross explains. “Every year it grows by billions, surpassing expectations.”

Founded in 2006, Matador Network began as a travel blog and has since become a global travel media brand reaching millions of readers and viewers each month. With 16 million social followers across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, the company now reaches modern adventure travelers through content distribution partnerships with airline in-flight entertainment channels, a national distribution deal with Uber’s JourneyTV platform, presence in 90 U.S. airports, and streaming platforms like Roku. 

“Matador House,” which launched this September in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach, represents the company’s most ambitious creator-focused initiative to date.

Creator Partnerships Through Extended Residencies

Unlike traditional influencer campaigns that might last a weekend, “Matador House” brought together eight diverse creators for an entire month in a single destination. This extended timeframe changes the depth and quality of the content produced.

“I’ve never seen a 30-day program,” Ross says. “What excites us is the commitment; eight creators from different backgrounds, who didn’t know each other, living together for a month.”

The project emerged from conversations between Matador’s head of brand partnerships, AJ Kinney, who conceived the initial concept, and Visit Myrtle Beach CMO Stuart Butler, who challenged the team to develop something unprecedented. 

Ross recalls Butler telling the Matador team to create a program that would break new ground in destination marketing.

Why Myrtle Beach and Why a Month-Long Format?

Ross explains that Myrtle Beach was selected for its diverse offerings that work particularly well for group activities. “It has a ton of things to explore, from the beach to an underrated culinary scene to fun group activities,” says Ross. “It’s the mini-golf capital of the world. There’s plenty to do, especially as a group.”

According to Ross, the month-long format delivers many advantages over traditional weekend influencer trips. “You get way more content,” he explains. “Each piece becomes more efficient. The creators have time to collaborate and really get to know the destination.”

This deeper immersion transforms creators from tourists into temporary locals. “Instead of just visiting for the weekend, they feel like residents,” Ross says. Traditional influencer marketing, he adds, too often results in “flash-in-the-pan partnerships, where creators come for two days, post a video, and move on.”

The Perfect Environment for Content Creation

The Matador team spent nearly a year planning the residency, with intensive pre-production commencing approximately five months prior to the creators’ arrival on September 1, 2025. Finding the right house proved critical – the team required a property with specific features to facilitate content creation.

“It had to have eight bedrooms, be on the beach, and have a pool,” Ross says. Lighting was also a major factor: “We knew a lot of content would be created in and around the house. Some places checked boxes, but had bad lighting. That wasn’t going to work.”

The Visit Myrtle Beach team was deeply involved in the planning process. “They’ve been amazing partners,” Ross says. “From helping us find the house to brainstorming ideas, no one knows Myrtle Beach like the tourism board.”

Inside a Day at ‘Matador House’

Each day at “Matador House” followed a structured format designed to maximize both content creation and exploration of Myrtle Beach. Creators would wake up, have breakfast, and then embark on what Ross calls “content missions” designed in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach.

“On schedule, they’re out the door, either splitting up or going together on a mission,” Ross explains. “These ranged from cooking activations to beach cleanups to collaborative projects.”

While the daily schedule was structured, creators also had free time to explore Myrtle Beach independently and edit their content. “They had free time to check out the city and edit what they shot,” says Ross.

Unlike reality television shows that manufacture drama, “Matador House” focused on true collaboration. “We all have PTSD from shows like ‘The Real World’ or ‘Big Brother,’ where producers engineer conflict,” Ross says. “We wanted the opposite, diverse people from different places who don’t know each other, but can vibe and have a great time.”

Creator Selection

Rather than assembling a group of similar creators, Matador deliberately selected individuals with varied backgrounds, interests, and content styles. “We tried to make it as diverse as possible,” Ross says. “Different walks of life, different passions. We wanted them to teach each other what they know.”

The eight creators who took part in the residency are Phil Calvert (comedian), Colby Eubanks (filmmaker and adventurer), Wade Holland (video creator and adventure personality), Haley Paez (food enthusiast), Tasha Roth (artist with a deep love for the beach), Rick Southers (photographer and filmmaker), Abby Wren (makeup artist with Alopecia Totalis), Travis Yee (country singer/songwriter).

This diversity served a clear strategic purpose. “If you just put outdoor photographers or foodies together, you’d get one-dimensional content,” Ross observes.

The selection process was rigorous. “We went through decks with dozens of people,” Ross recalls. “Sometimes we’d like someone, but weren’t sure they fit.”

Matador strategically included creators they had worked with before. “Almost half we know really well,” Ross explains. “They’ve done multiple activations with us, and we know they’re great people. They’d be the glue to hold the group together.”

Personal Projects with Destination Focus

In addition to collaborative activities, each creator was developing a personal project connected to Myrtle Beach. For example, Nashville-based Travis Yee wrote and performed an original song during his stay, while artist Tasha Roth led the group in creating a nautical-inspired mural at a local business.

“We didn’t just want viewers to meet the creators. We wanted them to meet Myrtle Beach,” Ross emphasizes. “It couldn’t be anywhere. The destination had to be central.”

This approach aligns with Matador’s broader mission, which Ross describes simply as “travel fearlessly,” inspiring people to recognize that “most places are safe, most people are good and well intentioned.”

Defining Success

While standard metrics, such as social reach and engagement, factor into measuring “Matador House’s” success, Ross is equally interested in less quantifiable outcomes.

“We’ll look at social reach, content quality, and what we can do with paid media,” Ross explains. However, he also values “intangibles”, such as the creators’ experience and client satisfaction. “Did the creators have fun? Do they want to do another one? Is the client happy and getting earned media?”

The program also aimed to generate earned media attention beyond paid impressions. “There’s been a lot of interest in this approach,” Ross notes. Ultimately, success will be measured by conversions, i.e., “people clicking to learn more about Myrtle Beach, planning trips, booking flights.”

This reflects Matador’s experience in branded content. “Measurement is a huge part of what we do,” Ross says. “We’ll deliver a full wrap report with all the data.”

Limitations in Traditional Marketing

“Matador House” represents a response to practical constraints in how travel marketing works in the digital age. Ross notes that traditional content creation methods have drawbacks: “TV commercials take too long, cost too much, are inefficient and inauthentic.”

In contrast, creator-led content offers genuineness, efficiency, and personal connection. “It’s more authentic, faster to create and launch, and creator first,” Ross says. “It comes from the heart, from a real person who, in many cases, is a mini media company with a strong following and brand.”

This shift aligns with broader trends in travel content consumption. “YouTube travel content grew 64% as creators dominate,” Ross notes. “That tells you it’s a huge, growing segment.”

The Future of Creator Residencies

As “Matador House” in Myrtle Beach wraps up its inaugural month, Ross is optimistic about expanding the concept to other destinations. The company was previously brought in to document a program called “Reno Tahoe Creator Camp,” which brought creators together for a two-day mini-conference.

“We provided content production this year with Reno Tahoe’s ‘Creator Camp,’” Ross explains. “It was a mini conference where creators invited followers to learn from them and go on adventures together. Similar, but only two days.”

For tourism boards considering similar initiatives, Ross’s advice is straightforward: “Market fearlessly, like travel fearlessly. If you’re not doing creator partnerships yet, think bigger. Move beyond bringing a couple of influencers for a day. Real-world activations with the creator economy are the future.”

As “Matador House” concludes its first iteration and content rolls out to audiences, Ross is eager to see the results. “I’m excited for people to see it,” he says. “The content will speak for itself. With the caliber of creators we assembled, I expect to be impressed.”

All photos are credited to Visit Myrtle Beach. 

Checkout Our Latest Podcast