As a side note, if these influencers exist (and the actually largely followed ones seem to make a lot of real money, besides the free stuff they are offered) it

As a side note, if these influencers exist (and the actually largely followed ones seem to make a lot of real money, besides the free stuff they are offered) it means that there are huge numbers of influenced, and that presumably these people - one way or the other - actually "pay the bill". Otherwise all firms/hotels/restaurants/whatever that actually - unlike Mr. Casaccia - accept the "begging" are not capable of evaluating properly the increase in revenue that the influencers allegedly cause. Both the possibilities (huge numbers of gullible people or huge numbers of clueless managers) seem to me like not good news.