Social media for travel and holiday sector

Facebook has not missed the mobile boat “it’s building it” After Facebook’s disappointing listing in May many commentators questioned whether the social networking giant had missed the boat – especially when it came to mobile.

Some even wondered whether Facebook has had its day. But as Pamela Whitby finds out there is still life in the social networking giant Facebook’s Head of Travel Industry, Lee McCabe is clear on one thing: “We haven't missed the boat. We are building the boat.” With 604 million active mobile users – a number that is growing fast – it is fair to say that Facebook still has everything to play for. According to McCabe one the most effective solutions Facebook now has is Mobile App Install, which offers marketers a “very efficient way” to get their app onto devices in volume. Social Media Solutions for the Tourism Industry. China Travel Trends. December 2012 - Social media trends in tourism for 2013. Talking Travel Tech. Where are travel brands concentrating their efforts in social media? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Simpliflying spent some time analysing the data from a recent EyeforTravel report understand how travel companies are approaching social media in 2012.

Here are some interesting findings from the study, Social Media and Mobile Strategies for the Travel Industry 2011: Location-based services such as Foursquare will be huge this year. Almost half of all the airlines surveyed wish to increase their presence in location-based social networks in 2012 (they’re going to get you while you travel!) Over 70% of travel marketers are using social media to “build their brands” – a typically “fluffy” or qualitative goal which often can’t be measured in concrete termsMore marketers (56% vs 45%) are confident of having unlocked useful data to measure ROI on their mobile strategies vs general social media strategies.Almost 60% of marketers are either sure of the conversions to booking rate via Facebook or have a fair idea, which is rather impressive.

And here is the obligatory infographic: What's pushing people to purchase on social media [INFOGRAPHIC] Lots of talk in recent months about purchasing via social networks, f-commerce and whether is will really take off.

Likes are no longer a meaningful metric and return-on-investment is about real engagement and connections with consumers and fans. Some fascinating results via Google case studies in this piece on the impact of social in the booking path for travel companies including Visit Greece and LateRooms. With that in mind it’s interesting to see the actual percentage of people (11%) who have been encouraged to make a purchase by something they saw on a social network.

Also noteworthy is that the percentage has dropped since May 2011 when the research shows 15% were influenced to make a purchase by what they saw (adverts, groups and discussions) on social networks. The following eDigitalresearch/IMRG infographic plots it out nicely as well as providing some insight into what is was that encouraged the purchase. Travel and meetings industry gets online and social media experience. InternetTheodore Koumelis - 16 November 2012, 09:53.

Impact of social media on the travel industry. "Brett Godfrey founder of Virgin Australia proposed to the NSW government to operate the state’s first “great walk” by building private lodges within the Blue Mountains national park.

In order for NSW to compete with Tasmanian and New Zealand multi-day track, NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker announces an ambitious five-year program to build the “great walks” in NSW national parks. New Zealand attracts 10,000 international travellers to walk the Milford Sound Track and 7400 walkers in Tasmania Overland Track each year; however NSW currently has no comparable walking experience.

The investment by the government $2.4 million to revitalise the Royal Coast Track in the Royal National Park and the Sydney Harbour Scenic Walk, will enhance NSW competitive experience. This improvement by the government would also consider building huts in national parks, it is required" Marketing execs share social media successes. NEW YORK — Advertising budgets are constrained, and the competition for eyeballs is intense.

But four venerable travel enterprises recently demonstrated their ability to use tactics, primarily social media and grassroots activism, to generate eye-opening returns on investment from creative campaigns. Marketing executives from the four firms, each from a different segment, shared their success stories at a meeting of the Association of Travel Marketing Executives hosted by Henry Harteveldt, the association's chairman and co-founder of Atmosphere Research. The programs relied heavily on social media and/or grassroots activism as a way to leverage resources, and the results were impressive: dizzying numbers of Facebook and Twitter followers, media impressions in the millions and enviable advertising value equivalencies (in other words, the amount it would have cost to pay for advertising that the coverage has earned). Five golden rules of social media ROI in the travel industry. NB: This is a guest article by Marco Saio, director of global research and projects at EyeforTravel.

Facebook page? Check! Social Media Management & Marketing for Small Business - MarketMeSuite. Travel Industry News & Conferences - EyeforTravel. The Importance of Social Media. By Matt Guarente Mar 2010 Browse this article: Summary The news is constantly packed with stories – good, bad and sensationalist – to do with social media.

But why is it so important and so pervasive? When VisitBritain published its marketing blueprint for the coming years in February [1], social media was put front and centre of the communications campaign strategy. 'We will be at the cutting edge of using social media to create advocates for the Britain brand... we will also ensure we use the new technology at our disposal to move away from the old marketing model of a one-way conversation with our customers towards activity that allows a dialogue.' ‘Terrific,’ thought thousands of tourism and destination marketers who have already embraced, or are planning to embrace, social media and networking.

Why is it so important? Steven Pike [2] argues that it is central to all destination marketing.