As the power of social networking sites expands, many branches of the travel industry begin to value its importance. Being on Facebook or Twitter has proved a must and many companies are fighting for their space online.
Technology has been moving forward with such speed that some struggle to keep up. While email remains the news of the day for many parents, their children are texting and updating their Facebook and Twitter profiles on an hourly basis. Social networking has become crucial and extremely fashionable and many businesses have already discovered its appeal. To enter such market is not particularly difficult, yet it brings immense advertising potential with it.
Whether it is airlines, hotels, travel agencies - any business in the tourist sector is trying to get a piece of this deliciously huge networking pie. To expand the basis of ‘fans’ is an ideal internet exposure and a brilliant marketing tool. Companies introduce incentives and exclusive deals for their fans; hotels offer weekend deals on a 'buy one get one free' basis, airlines feature discounts on specific days and many travel companies hire teams to only focus on working with Facebook and Twitter generated business.
Word of mouth is a very powerful tool and while the internet offers a very impressive pool of information and choice, we still like to rely on what people tell us. TripAdvisor is one of the most popular sites which travelers use to consult when planning their trips. However, nowadays, many people up to their mid-twenties like to post a note on their profile asking their friends for an opinion or experience.
Advertising on Facebook and Twitter is the upgrade of Customer Relationship Management that costs little but brings a lot. All agree - social networking is a big promise for the future of travel industry.