The 'best luxury resort in Southeast Asia' gets contacted every day by influencers asking to stay in its 7,000-per-night villas. Here's how the head of marketing decides who to pick.

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The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay was named the best luxury resort in Southeast Asia, with villas costing 7,000 a night and gorgeous beach views.

Francesca Barba, the resort's director of sales and marketing, says that influencers contact the resort almost every day, hoping to partner with and stay at the luxury spot.

According to Barba, factors such as influencers' skillset and follower engagement are more important than follower count when deciding who to partner with.

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Almost every day, influencers reach out to JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort and Spa, gunning for a partnership and free stay at the luxury destination, located on a Vietnamese island off the coast of Cambodia.

It is hard to imagine a resort that is more prefect for Instagram. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort took the No. 1 spot in Travel and Leisure's most recent ranking of the top resorts in Southeast Asia. Typically, guests pay 5,000 to 7,000 a night to book one of the handful of villas at the resort during peak season. The other 234 rooms are a bit less expensive, but also cost hundreds of dollars a night.

The resort was designed by Bill Bensley, who is known for his over-the-top resorts. Benseley designed a hotel in Cambodia where guests arrive via zip line and pay 2,000 a night to sleep in glamorous tents; his concept for the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay was that it was that he transformed a century-old university into a hotel.

Of course, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay can't partner with every influencer out there. But, the key to deciding who the resort partners with is about more than the just their follower counts, according to Francesca Barba, the director of sales and marketing at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay.

Here is how Barba actually decides which influencers are worthy. Barba says sometimes the resort partners with someone with a 'very small number of followers.'

Kate Taylor Business Insider

"Because this property is so unusual that sometimes it can be an influencer, with a very small amount of followers but concept-wise, an incredible eye," Barba said.

The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay frequently features influencers' photos on its own social media.

Kate Taylor Business Insider

As a result, the influencers' skills can be more important than their follower count. If they have demonstrated that they can take incredible photos, whether they are experts at photographing the night sky or masters of glamourous fashion photoshoots, then Barba says she is more likely to consider them as a partner.

Engagement is also key.

Kate Taylor Business Insider

"When we are approached, which happens almost on a daily basis, we're looking at everything they do," Barba said. "We never just say no based on the numbers of followers."

"Sometimes you have less followers, but more engagement," Barba continued. "Other times they have a lot of followers and not so much engagement. So, I think we literally look at everything."

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