Tour operators and hotels are used to paying for marketing before they know what it will deliver. An affiliate partnership turns that around: the partner pays a commission only when a booking is actually completed. We use this model with partners in Lapland and elsewhere, and this post explains in plain language how it works, what readers see, what partners pay and what it has produced so far.

We are Joona & Alla, a couple living in Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle. We both work in tourism marketing in Lapland, and we also help travel brands with content, SEO, ads and AI tooling. We have travelled to 25 countries together and started Hungrytravelfamily in 2024. The site is published in 11 languages; about 70% of our readers are European and about 20% American.

The model in one paragraph

We recommend a partner’s tour, stay or activity in an article, on social media or in a guide. The reader follows our booking link or uses our code at checkout. The reader gets 5% off with the code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5. When the booking is completed, the partner pays us a 10% commission. If the booking is not completed, no commission is due. That is the whole model, and its main advantage is that both the reader and the partner can see what is happening.

What the reader sees

A reader who is planning a trip finds our guide, reads the facts, and decides the offer is right. They click the booking link, and the partner’s own booking page opens. They enter the code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout and see 5% off. In the models we use, the reader books with the partner’s own system, so the partner stays the business that serves the guest. We recommend this because it keeps the guest relationship where it belongs.

Readers like the model because the discount is clear and the booking is direct. It also gives us a reason to write practical, honest guides: if a recommendation does not match what a reader needs, they will not book, and we will not earn.

What the partner pays

The partner pays 10% commission on completed bookings. Because the commission is tied to completed bookings, the partner’s cost follows its sales. The discount that readers receive is 5%, and it is the partner’s choice whether to offer it. Details such as how the commission is calculated and how often it is reported are confirmed with each partner by email before the collaboration starts. If you are comparing marketing options, we recommend asking us for the exact terms by email and checking how they fit your booking system.

If a partner also wants a hosted visit with a full content package, that is a separate arrangement, which we explain in our post on what a creator visit delivers.

Discount code or commission-only link

Not every business wants to offer a discount, and some cannot because of their pricing or agreements. For them, a commission-only tracking link is possible: readers book at the normal price, and the partner still pays 10% commission on completed bookings that came through the link. We recommend the code for partners who can offer it, because readers respond to a visible benefit. We also respect partners who prefer to keep their prices uniform.

What it has produced so far

Last season our reader code brought €217,553 in activity sales with Lapland partners. That figure is for activity sales through the code with our partners in Lapland, and we state it with the caution it deserves: it is a result for one season and one region, and it depends on the quality of the offers, on timing and on the demand for the destination. We cannot promise a partner the same result. What we can say is that readers are willing to book from a trusted recommendation, and that the model lets a partner see this in its own booking data.

Our audience is mainly European (about 70%) with about 20% from the United States, so partners in Lapland and other European destinations reach readers who plan trips in advance. The site is available in 11 languages, which helps with readers who prefer to book in their own language.

Who the model suits

• Tour and activity operators with online booking, where a code can be entered at checkout.
• Transfers and transport providers that serve travellers who plan ahead.
• Hotels and apartments with direct booking that can recognise a code or a link.
• Restaurants and experiences that take reservations online.

It is less suitable if you cannot track bookings by code or link, or if your offer is not bookable online. In that case, we suggest a hosted visit, or a simple recommendation without tracking.

How it combines with a hosted visit

Many partners start with a hosted stay or visit, which produces a content package, and then add the booking model. The content brings the story, and the link measures what it earns. Others use the booking model alone, with no visit. Both work. See our post on why tourism businesses work with creators for the wider picture.

Honesty and labelling

An affiliate link is commercial cooperation, and Finnish rules are clear that consumers have the right to know when someone is trying to influence them for a commercial purpose. The Consumer Ombudsman’s guidelines say that influencer marketing must be recognisable as advertising and that the label must be visible straight away. We think readers should always know when a link earns us a commission. Our Work with us page explains that booking through our partner links costs the reader nothing extra and supports the blog.

We also keep our editorial independence. A commission does not change what we write about a product, and we would rather decline a collaboration than write something we do not believe.

To start, email hungrytravelfamily@gmail.com with your business, your booking system and whether you would like to offer the code or a commission-only link. Our general offer is on the Work with us page.

Setting it up and common partner questions

Setting up the model is usually quick, because it relies on tools a bookable business already has. What we need from a partner is simple:

1. A booking page or system where a reader can book online.
2. A way to recognise our readers: a tracked link, a code field at checkout or both.
3. A decision on whether to offer the 5% reader discount or to use a commission-only link.
4. A contact person who can confirm bookings and report completed ones.
5. A short description of what makes the offer special, so we can write about it accurately.

What happens if a booking is cancelled? The commission applies to completed bookings, so a booking that does not take place does not create a commission. Do you promise a number of bookings? No. We can show our audience and what the model produced last season in Lapland, but results depend on the offer, the price and the timing. Can we stop? Yes: a collaboration based on a link can be paused or ended by agreement, and we would rather have a clear, honest arrangement than a long, unclear one.

If you want to compare the model with other options, ask us for current statistics by email. We are happy to explain our numbers and the limits of what they show.

FAQ

How does the reader code work?

Readers get 5% off with the code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 when they book through our link. The partner pays us 10% commission on completed bookings.

Can a partner offer a link without a discount?

Yes. A commission-only tracking link is possible for partners who do not want discounts.

What has the model produced?

Last season the code brought €217,553 in activity sales with Lapland partners. We cannot promise the same result to every partner.

Who reads Hungrytravelfamily?

About 70% of readers are European and about 20% American, and the site is published in 11 languages.

Is the link labelled as a collaboration?

Readers should always know when a link earns a commission. Finnish Consumer Ombudsman guidelines require influencer marketing to be clearly recognisable as advertising.