Given that the travel industry has gone through a series of significant changes in recent decades, the communication of messages has rarely been more important.

Consumers are increasingly informed, and want to build relationships with the organisations they buy travel services from, rather than just making bookings.

Travel has always been one of the most talked-about subjects online. Now social media websites have become essential tools for building the brand and reputation of an organisation.

Used well, these websites have the potential to boost business by generating hundreds of extra room nights. You only have to look at the statistics to see their importance.

Facebook alone has 400 million active users, half of whom visit the site daily. How many of these users can be reached through traditional advertising channels?

It is a common misconception that social media is just for young people. Most Facebookers are not university students, and more than half of YouTube users are over 25.

At the same time, blogging has become just as crucial, since guest loyalty and word of mouth referrals have never been more valuable. Research has shown people trust blogs more than information from some other sources – and blogs can be a great way of spreading hotel recommendations and the like. Some 175,000 new blogs are created each day.

Perhaps more than other industries, travel relies on word of mouth. Using social media develops online customer advocates who can dramatically affect how your business is perceived, boost referrals, and create new business. You only have to realise that most visitors to Facebook have 120 friends to get an idea of how it works.

Continue reading – Part 2

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