WHEN global streaming sensation IShowSpeed announced a 15-stop Caribbean tour in late April, one government tourism agency saw more than an entertainment spectacle — it saw a huge marketing opportunity to bet on the streamer’s enormous international reach and devoted online following.

The vision of Jamaica Vacations Limited (JamVac) was rooted in the understanding that digital creators now play a major role in influencing travel interest and destination awareness, particularly among younger demographics.

What’s more, according to JamVac Executive Director Joy Roberts, was that IShowSpeed’s personality and Jamaica’s culture share an authenticity that made the streamer, whose birth name is Darren Watkins Jr, a good fit to broadcast the culture globally.