Case Study: Elevating Brand Activations with Rent My Booth at Travel + Leisure's World's Best Summit

Overview

In July 2025, Rent My Booth by Ben Hawes brought a fresh, elevated photo booth experience to Travel + Leisure Magazine’s prestigious World’s Best Summit. This two-day conference celebrates the brand’s annual list of the world’s top-rated travel products, services, and destinations. The event, hosted at a sleek location in Lower Manhattan, welcomed 350 travel influencers (like the iconic @JetSetSarah featured in the blue dress above), editors, and public figures including Selma Blair and Tracee Ellis Ross. The summit was produced by Dotdash Meredith, which also publishes People & InStyle Magazines,

The Ask

Travel + Leisure’s commerce team found Rent My Booth after searching on across Google and ChatGPT. They weren’t looking for a typical self-run booth. They needed a professional who could photograph guests in a custom-built airplane set that they use to test travel gear, capture editorial photography, and create social content. The request required more than great lighting. They needed a partner who could create a full guest experience that elevated the event and supported the brand’s storytelling goals.

The Experience

Ben arrived early to test lighting setups, frame the space for optimal photography, and collaborate with the commerce team on how to best welcome guests. The airplane set, typically used for internal content creation and testing, was transformed into a dynamic, interactive destination inside the summit.

Guests were greeted with energy and clear direction. Ben explained how the shoot worked, gave enthusiastic pose ideas, and helped guests feel confident in front of the camera. People played with funny ideas like pushing a fake call button, napping against the window, or pretending they were mid-flight drama.

Each guest had time for three fun and flattering photos, and Ben encouraged them to change it up each time. The best part? People kept coming back for more, bringing new guests into the experience.

The experience was guided, playful, and hosted. And because the camera and lighting setup was professional-grade, the photos came out beautifully sharp, flattering, and fun. Guests left with printed keepsakes and instantly received branded digital versions via SMS, QR Code, or AirDrop. Animated GIFs were included too, giving guests even more options for sharing.

The Impact

The photo activation was a hit. Attendees were naturally drawn in by the well-lit set and by Ben’s warm, high-energy hosting. Influencers and press posted immediately, sharing images across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. The Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor both shared their branded photos on their personal Instagram feeds, booting the exec support and profile of the event & its mission.

But the booth did more than just amplify the event’s digital footprint.

It boosted internal energy. The thirteen-person Travel + Leisure commerce team behind running the activation had a blast. Many remarked that it was one of the most fun and effective event elements they had been part of. Staff got to help guests print their photos, explain the background and meaning of the airplane set, and celebrate the excitement together.

This helped the team engage attendees in a way that felt generous and authentic. Rather than launching straight into pitching products, they were able to start conversations in a way that felt relaxed and personal. The photo booth became a bridge; connecting people to the brand before any formal conversations began.

The experience mirrored a recent activation Rent My Booth produced for Framebridge during NYC Pride. There, Ben used props & photography to draw guests into the retail space, connect them with the brand, and build energy for community conversations. The Travel + Leisure event followed a similar model, but within a corporate summit context.

Branding & Deliverables

Rent My Booth customized every touchpoint. Photo layouts were designed to feel like mini magazine covers, with the Travel + Leisure logo and the World’s Best Summit title clearly displayed. Text messages sent to guests after each session were also branded and customized with shareable download links.

In addition to high-quality still photos and prints, animated GIFs were available. And the system is fully capable of offering short-form video messages, Boomerangs, and social-ready clips. These customizable options give brands and event producers a wide range of tools to create media-friendly moments.

Why This Works for Conferences and Brand Activations

If you're producing a high-touch conference or planning a booth at a larger activation, this style of photo experience brings energy, polish, and connection to your station. The booth serves as both a memory-maker and a foot traffic magnet.

This approach is ideal for:

• Editorial summits like the World’s Best, Time 100, or Fast Company Innovation Festival

• Lifestyle expos such as Comic Con, DragCon, or BookExpo America

• Brand activations inside retail spaces like Framebridge, Glossier, Warby Parker, or Away

• Internal team events like company retreats, all-hands, holiday parties, and employee engagement initiatives

• Conferences in travel, wellness, fashion, and media where guest experience matters

Photography can be part of a bigger marketing strategy. When done well, it can energize attendees, amplify your reach online, and create lasting impressions.

Rent My Booth’s approach goes far beyond the traditional plug-and-play booth. With Ben’s warm hosting, high-quality visuals, and interactive vibe, each guest walks away with something they want to share and a feeling they won’t forget.

Let’s Talk

Whether you're launching a new product, showcasing your editorial brand, or just looking for a way to connect with people in a meaningful, visual way, this photo booth experience was built for you.

📩 Email Ben at ben@rentmybooth.com
🔗 Or click here to view pricing, packages, and availability.

Rent My Booth blends photography, storytelling, and human connection into a seamless, strategic experience your team and your audience will talk about long after the event ends.

Let’s do this!