The Blurring Ethical Lines Between Credit Card Companies and Travel Writers
Skift Take
As banks develop new instruments to pitch credits cards and travel writers become more experienced in marketing them, it's likely that the industry will see an uptick in well-written, cleverly crafted ads. It's up to the reader to carefully figure out the difference.
Take a stroll through any raft of content in the business travel blog community and one trend will routinely present itself: credit card advice.
Over the past several years, content built around travel credit cards has been steadily increasing, so dramatically, in fact, that sites have popped up solely to discuss and promote the industry.
On the surface, the uptick in credit card content appears to be directly a function of new instruments invented in the space. Airlines and hotels all now have their own branded credit cards, using their points as an incentive to drive extra spending. Banks like Chase and Capital One have gotten into the game by offering broad credit card programs with multiple travel partners, allowing customers to store up masses of points and disperse them to airline or hotel programs as needed. With so many travel providers, so many banks and
