Expedia buys into iShowSpeed’s world tours to sell vacations to Gen Z

iShowSpeed has arguably become the most famous globetrotter on the planet, and a travel company is taking advantage of his worldwide appeal. Expedia has announced a “multi-phase” partnership with Speed that includes sponsored live streams, Expedia-branded vehicles, Caribbean adventures, and much more.

Expedia’s collab with Speed (whose real name is Darren Watkins, Jr.) even has its own homepage. Visitors to Exspeedia.com (get it?) can follow Speed’s current route, unlock behind-the-scenes content from his past travels, and vote on the locations he should visit next.

Given Speed’s activity over the past two years, it’s a bit surprising that it took him this long to link up with a travel company. His continental tours have become the stuff of legend, with his 2024 trip to Southeast Asia breaking viewership records by bringing together millions of fans. Speed’s global exploits have become so popular that some national governments are boosting local tourism by paying him to visit. That’s what Baltic nations Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania did during Speed’s 2025 European swing.

Speed’s latest tour brought him to the Caribbean, where he has raced against Olympic sprinters and invited Expedia to be part of the fun. The digital travel booker sponsored a 12-hour live-streamed event that aired across Speed’s YouTube and Twitch accounts. During the stream, Speed boarded four different modes of Expedia-branded transportation — planes, boats, jet skis, and dune buggies — as he explored Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Maarten.

For Expedia, Speed is a key that can unlock a new generation of travel dollars. Gen Z has different vacation priorities than the generations that came before them, and many of those travel preferences are influenced by social media. That’s why TikTok is selling plane tickets, YouTube is turning into a discovery engine for travelers, and creators like the Sidemen are developing their own hospitality experiences.

To serve those Gen Z globetrotters, the Exspeedia website lets visitors plan their own Speed-style tours across the world. “Travel should be for everybody,” Speed said in a statement. “My fans come from everywhere, and a lot of them don’t always think seeing the world is possible. For me, travel is about really experiencing local culture and being part of the place you’re visiting — that’s what this Caribbean journey is all about.”

As popular as Speed is, he’s just one man. Expedia is asking a lot by trusting him to single-handedly flip Gen Z travel on its head. At the same time, the 21-year-old creator has shown that he has the chops to carry a major campaign. He’s been a spokesperson for Beats and he’s getting his own anime-style show; Expedia, like those other partners, is harnessing his appeal while it’s at its peak.