Tourism and social networks began their particular love story very early on, which today is consolidated in a solid coexistence based on travel as a source of precious content and inspiration, and social networks as the best vehicle to tell, in the length of a reel, the wonders of any destination. Many travelers thus turn to social networks when choosing a hotel.
The Eurostars Hotel Company gathers, for another year, the contributions of its clients to understand what users expect from social networks regarding travel proposals and hotel experiences.
Hotels on Social Networks: Profiles to Inspire
Content is one of the fundamental parts of any social media strategy. When it comes to rating posts, up to 37% of customers surveyed prefer content related to contests linked to sweepstakes for hotel stays and experiences.
This group is closely followed by those who prefer recommendations and activity guides in the destination (34%). Videos and photo galleries are in third place, while only 6% express a preference for reviews from other clients and recommendations from influencers.
In line with these demands, the majority of users believe that hotel accounts should focus on offering promotions and offers to customers in order to build customer loyalty (40%).
In second place (37%), hotel social networks should be platforms for inspiration by publishing motivational content for travelers.
Only 23% think that the networks should be established as a channel for hotels to interact with customers in a quick and direct way.
Instagram Is King When It Comes to Inspiring
Although TikTok has evolved rapidly, it still has a long way to go to unseat Instagram as the main reference network for upcoming travel inspiration and choosing a hotel.
Only 6% of respondents say that videos are more motivating compared to 62% who believe that Instagram still reigns supreme in this universe.
20% still remain loyal to Facebook, while only 11% openly declare that they draw inspiration from the experiences of family and friends without resorting to social networks.
The Role of Influencers
If we ask customers about the role of influencers, nearly half of those interviewed (47%) admit that they like to follow different accounts to keep up to date, but that they do not make decisions based on their recommendations.
35% say they prefer to be guided by the recommendations of friends and family, without paying too much attention to the influencers' accounts. Only 16% confess to giving full credibility to these profiles, recognizing their ability to publicize hotels through their own experiences.
How Do People Use Social Networks While Traveling?
In addition to inspiring us in our daily lives, social networks also accompany us on our travels. Only 13% of customers say that when they travel for leisure they also disconnect from social networks.
The remaining 87% stay active on their channels, either to use social networks to search for activities and recommendations in the destination (44%), to document the trip and generate future memories (24%) or to share photos with their friends and contacts so that they can learn about their experiences in real-time through the networks (18%).
Social Networks and Hotels Are Coupled Perfectly
According to the data extracted, customers do not question the credibility of hotel social profiles. Some 80% of respondents consider the accounts of these establishments to be a truthful and effective channel for discovering new hotels eligible for future stays.
The credibility generated by social networks as a faithful showcase of the hotel's services and facilities reaffirms the importance of investing in quality content that allows the execution of an efficient social media strategy with positive results.