Digital Travel Summit APAC 2024

August 14 - 15, 2024

Equarius Hotel, Sentosa, Singapore

The Role of Social Media in Tourism Marketing

social media tourism marketing

Social media has changed every single aspect of our lives, including the way we consume. These developments have significantly affected businesses mainly through enabling new marketing strategies. Tourism, being one of the most vibrant sectors of the global economy, is undoubtedly a part of all these.

Merging social media and tourism marketing will lead to excellent results for your business. Here we have gathered information about the essentials of social media in tourism marketing: what is the role of it and how it can be effectively used.

Importance of the Social Media

Social media impact on tourism is seen in the ways people research before going on a trip. Now people are encouraged to share their travel experiences. Thus, social media has transformed the way people make decisions. People build their trust in a tourism agency based on the reviews of the others.

Social sharing for better customer relations

Customer service is another essential aspect of the tourism industry that has changed with social media. Now brands and businesses can reach their customers directly through social media. When people are unsatisfied with a tourism service, they can call the companies to account for that. Thus, solving the problems of the customers in the kindest ways will lead to a better reputation for a company.

Social sharing might be the most significant factor that affected the tourism industry. Social media enables especially young people to share the most significant memories from their travels with a vast audience. Tourism companies should know that this is a more powerful way of attracting new travellers than simple advertisements and encourage people to share their real experiences online.

As seen above, the rise of social media led to the development of two-way communication between agencies and customers and customers to customers. To benefit from this impact of social media on the tourism industry, turning to social media is vital for a tourism agency.

How to Create Strategies

The tourism industry is highly competitive. Once tourism companies are aware of the possible benefits of social media for their business, they use ways through which they can increase their brand awareness.

Engaging content is the king

Creating engaging content is the most crucial step to go if you aim to attract more customers. Since the tourism industry is significantly connected with visual experience, visual material is the most engaging way to catch attention. You should use catchy photos and impressive videos that are simple and fun.

User-generated content is one of the best ways to get people to engage with your business. Influencer marketing will help a lot to make your business visible among the others. After specifying your target location and audience, you can get in touch with tourism influencers and experts. You will not believe how fast your brand is reaching followers, thanks to influencers.

social media tourism marketing

Increase visibility

After you are familiar with the role of social media in tourism marketing, you notice that whatever you do, being social is the key. To increase your visibility, you should be actively contacting your customers by listening to them or answering their questions. You can research your keywords and join in the conversations around your service. As we stated above, providing customer service online is an excellent way of making your voice heard.

The tourism industry is extensive and seasonal, so you should be relevant when it comes to timing. Whether popular or undiscovered, every location has its own season. ​ Digital marketing agencies ​ can help you provide up-to-date campaigns to advertise your newest services.

Best Social Media Channels for Tourism Marketing

As in any other industry, Big Three of the social media -Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been the leader in the tourism industry as well. Even though these channels have their own audience, travel is among the most shared topics on all of them.

Facebook is an excellent platform to catch users among various social groups. Facebook’s Recommendations feature enables people to share their experiences. It can be used effectively for travelling purposes, to reach information about what users are telling about your travel business.

Thanks to its emphasis on visual material, Instagram is one of the most effective social media channels. It is a great platform for tourism businesses to engage with their current and future customers. Using Instagram will help you attract people, especially the millennials, as they form a group that is highly active on Instagram. You should follow the travel hashtags and create your own to maximize the popularity of your posts.

While Instagram takes over your visual material, Twitter is your voice. This platform allows you to talk about short travel tips and promos. Even though Twitter can be used for photos and videos of your brand, its actual strength is being especially useful for providing customer service. If you want to join in conversations, you need to have an active Twitter account.

Other than the Big Three, there are various platforms that you can use to get in contact with different groups of travellers. For example, LinkedIn is significant for B2B. Business travellers share information on Linkedin groups about many topics, including business trips. If you want to reach business travellers, you use LinkedIn to reach them depending on the locations in which you provide service.

Widely used by generation Z, Snapchat is another platform that is important for your tourism marketing strategy​ if you are targeting young customers. It is a rapidly growing social media channel on which you can share what is happening at the moment. You can share gripping snaps about your tourism business to catch attention.

Social media has transformed the ways to build a reliable brand. For the tourism industry, the age of brochures and billboards are over. The key to business success is to collect social shares, positive user reviews and customer satisfaction on social media.

In this text, we tried to show that social media is a big opportunity for tourism companies. To make use of its advantages, the ​ Digital Agency Network​ can help you find the most suitable agency for your tourism marketing.

Author:Gizem Tas

Related Posts

*NEW* Destination Marketing 2.0 – How can you put agility and personalisation to work to know your customers better, predict what they want, and delight them to take away friction?

*NEW* New Zealanders are opening their hearts and hometowns to the world!

The Media Ant

Advertising made simpler for you. Read about new Advertising Trends, Campaigns, and Strategies.

The Role of Social Media in Tourism Marketing

Last updated on: December 7, 2023

Tourism Marketing

Social media has revolutionized the way we travel and experience the world. Imagine this: You’re scrolling through your feed, and there it is – a breathtaking photo of a serene beach or a lively cityscape, instantly transporting you to a place you’ve never been. That’s the magic of social media advertising in tourism marketing. It’s not just about stunning images and catchy hashtag, it’s a dynamic platform that bridges the gap between dream destinations and eager travelers. 

From influencer collaborations to user-generated content, social media is reshaping how we discover, plan, and share our travel adventures. So, let’s embark on a journey to explore how these digital platforms are not just selling trips, but crafting experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Welcome to the intersection of wanderlust and the digital age!

Table of Contents

The Impact of Social Media on Tourism Marketing

The transformative effect that social media platforms have had on the way tourism destinations and services are marketed and experienced by consumers. This impact can be examined through several key aspects:

Enhanced Customer Engagement and Reach: Social media platforms provide tourism marketers with tools to engage directly with a global audience. Unlike traditional marketing methods, which were often one-way and region-specific, social media allows for two-way communication. This interaction fosters a more personalized connection with potential tourists. For instance, tourism boards and businesses can respond directly to inquiries, share updates, and gather feedback in real time.

Influence on Travel Decisions: Social media has become a crucial part of the decision-making process for travelers. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are often where potential tourists seek inspiration and information. Photos, reviews, and travel stories shared on these platforms can significantly influence where people choose to travel. For example, a destination that frequently appears in Instagram posts can see a rise in popularity, sometimes called the “Instagram effect.”

Shift in Marketing Strategies: With the rise of social media, tourism marketing strategies have shifted from traditional advertising (like magazine ads and TV commercials) to content marketing and storytelling on social platforms. This involves creating engaging, shareable content that showcases a destination’s attractions, culture, and experiences. The goal is to create content that resonates with users, encouraging them to share it within their networks, thereby amplifying its reach.

Role of User-Generated Content: User-generated content , such as reviews on TripAdvisor or personal travel blogs, plays a significant role in shaping the image of a destination. Positive reviews and authentic travel stories shared by tourists can enhance a destination’s reputation, while negative experiences can have the opposite effect. Tourism marketers often encourage the sharing of user experiences to leverage word-of-mouth marketing.

Real-Time Marketing Opportunities: Social media enables real-time marketing, allowing tourism marketers to capitalize on current trends, events, or discussions. For instance, if a destination becomes popular due to a viral video or a celebrity visit, marketers can immediately use this buzz to promote the destination.

Measurable Impact and Data-Driven Strategies: Social media platforms offer extensive data analytics tools, allowing marketers to measure the impact of their campaigns, understand audience preferences, and tailor their strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach helps in making informed decisions and optimizing marketing efforts for better results.

Influencer Collaborations: Collaborating with influencers and travel bloggers who have a substantial following on social media has become a popular strategy. These influencers can offer authentic and relatable content to their followers, providing destinations with access to a targeted audience.

Key Social Media Platforms in Indian Tourism Marketing

Role Of Social Media In Tourism Marketing - People Taking Photos And Posting On Social Media

The use of social media in the travel industry has transformed how destinations are marketed and perceived by potential travelers. Here’s an elaboration on how various platforms contribute to this dynamic field:

Facebook in Tourism Marketing

Facebook stands as a cornerstone in promoting tourism through social media. Its vast user base and sophisticated targeting options allow tourism marketers to reach a diverse audience. In India, where Facebook usage is widespread, tourism boards and companies use this platform to share engaging content, from stunning visuals of destinations to informative posts about local culture and festivals. The ability to create events, run targeted ads, and interact directly with users through comments and messages makes Facebook a valuable tool in the social media marketing for the travel industry.

Instagram as a Visual Storyteller

When it comes to the role of social media in promoting tourism, Instagram’s impact is undeniable. With its focus on visuals, Instagram is perfect for showcasing the beauty and diversity of Indian destinations. Tourism marketers leverage Instagram to post breathtaking images and videos, from the serene backwaters of Kerala to the vibrant streets of Jaipur. Hashtags and location tags enhance discoverability, while Instagram Stories and Reels offer dynamic ways to engage with audiences. Influencer collaborations further amplify reach, as travelers often seek inspiration from popular travel influencers.

Twitter for Real-Time Engagement

Twitter’s fast-paced nature makes it ideal for real-time engagement and information dissemination in the social media marketing in the tourism industry. Tourism boards and businesses use Twitter to post updates, engage in trending conversations, and provide customer service. During events or crises, Twitter becomes a crucial platform for providing timely information. The use of specific hashtags related to Indian tourism helps in segmenting the audience and engaging in relevant discussions.

YouTube – A Dynamic Showcase

YouTube advertising has emerged as a key player in social media tourism marketing. Through well-produced videos, tourism marketers can offer immersive experiences of Indian destinations. These videos range from professional documentaries highlighting cultural heritage to fun, engaging travel vlogs. YouTube also allows for longer, more detailed storytelling, which is essential in conveying the depth and richness of Indian tourism spots.

Strategies for Effective Social Media Marketing in Indian Tourism

Effective Social Media Marketing In Indian Tourism - People Taking Photos And Videos

Social media tourism marketing has become an indispensable tool. The diverse and vibrant culture, landscapes, and heritage of India offer a rich canvas for social media marketing in the tourism industry. Here’s how it can be effectively leveraged:

Creating a Compelling Narrative: The role of social media in promoting tourism is significantly enhanced when the content tells a story. For instance, the Rajasthan Tourism Department’s campaigns often focus on the historical and cultural richness of the state, weaving narratives that entice history buffs and cultural enthusiasts. This strategy helps in creating a connection with the audience, making them more likely to engage with the content and consider visiting the destination.

Utilizing Visuals and Videos: Given the visually driven nature of platforms like Instagram and YouTube, high-quality visuals and videos are essential for promoting tourism through social media. The Kerala Tourism Department, for example, effectively uses picturesque images and videos of backwaters, beaches, and cultural festivals, making it a visually appealing destination on social media platforms.

Influencer Collaborations: Influencers in the travel industry have a significant impact on their followers’ travel decisions. Collaborating with them for destination promotions can amplify reach. For instance, the Goa Tourism Department might collaborate with popular travel vloggers to showcase the beach life, nightlife, and cultural diversity of Goa, thus influencer marketing can help attract their followers to the destination.

Engaging with User-Generated Content: Encouraging tourists to share their experiences on social media and featuring their content on official tourism pages can create authenticity and trust. This approach is a key aspect of social media marketing for the travel industry, as real traveler stories are often more relatable and persuasive.

Leveraging Local Events and Festivals: Highlighting local events and festivals on social media can attract niche tourists interested in local experiences. For instance, promoting the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan or the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland can draw attention to these unique cultural experiences.

Interactive Campaigns and Hashtags: Creating interactive social media campaigns and hashtags can increase engagement and visibility. The #IncredibleIndia campaign by the Indian Tourism Department is an excellent example of a successful hashtag campaign that created a buzz and encouraged user participation.

Real-Time Updates and Information Sharing: Platforms like Twitter can be used for real-time updates, which is crucial for travel planning. Sharing information about weather conditions, festivals, or special events can be useful for tourists planning their trip.

Customer Feedback and Engagement: Actively engaging with comments, queries, and feedback on social media platforms is crucial. It not only improves customer service but also builds a community of engaged followers.

Adapting to Changing Trends: The social media landscape is continually evolving. Staying updated with the latest trends and platform features, like Instagram Reels or TikTok videos, is essential for keeping content fresh and engaging

Challenges and Solutions in Social Media Tourism Marketing

Tourism Marketing - Tourists Taking Photos Of The Market They Visited

The evolution of social media tourism marketing has significantly influenced the travel industry, opening up new avenues for promoting tourism. However, it’s not without its challenges. Here’s an exploration of these challenges and the innovative solutions being adopted in the industry.

Managing Online Reputation and Misinformation

In the realm of social media marketing for the travel industry, maintaining a positive online reputation is crucial. Tourism brands must actively monitor social media channels to address misinformation and negative reviews promptly. This involves having a dedicated team to engage with customers, provide accurate information, and resolve issues quickly.

Balancing Promotional Content and Authenticity

Promoting tourism through social media requires a delicate balance between marketing and authenticity. Over-commercialized content can deter the modern traveler seeking genuine experiences. To tackle this, brands are increasingly turning to storytelling, sharing real stories and experiences of travelers. Encouraging user-generated content, where tourists share their own experiences, adds an authentic voice to the brand.

Keeping Up with Evolving Platforms and Trends

The digital landscape is ever-changing, and so is the role of social media in promoting tourism. Brands must stay abreast of the latest trends and platform updates to remain relevant. This includes experimenting with new social media features, like Instagram Reels or TikTok challenges, to engage potential tourists in novel ways.

Measuring Return on Investment (ROI)

Quantifying the success of social media marketing in the tourism industry can be complex. Tourism brands should invest in analytics tools to track engagement, conversions, and other key performance indicators. This data-driven approach helps in refining strategies and proving the value of social media marketing efforts.

The role of social media in promoting tourism is not static,  it’s a dynamic and ever-evolving aspect of the digital world that mirrors the changing preferences and behaviors of travelers. As the industry continues to innovate and adapt, social media stands as a powerful tool in the arsenal of tourism marketing, offering a pathway to connect, engage, and inspire travelers worldwide. Ultimately, the effective use of social media in tourism marketing not only enhances destination visibility but also enriches the travel experience, creating a win-win scenario for both travelers and the tourism industry.

You may also like:

Case Study 2

Dissecting Spencer’s Ind Vs Aus WTC 2023 Sports Campaigns with Disney+ Hotstar

Sports Campaign

Dissecting Meghalaya Tourism’s World Cup 2023 Sports Campaign with Disney+ Hotstar

Featured Images 66

Game On, App On: Mobile Marketing Magic for Sports Brands 

Case Study 1

Dissecting Clubmahindra’s Ind Vs Aus WTC 2023 Sports Campaigns with Disney+ Hotstar

Avatar Of Sandeep Nair

Sandeep Nair

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Maximize your strategy with Dash Hudson's latest Social Media Trends Report

Bring Visitors to Social With These Tourism Marketing Tips

social media tourism marketing

Tourism marketing on social media has evolved. While social media has been a key player in connecting destinations with potential travelers since its inception, the medium has changed to place a greater emphasis on video content and algorithmic discovery. In order to see results from social media, marketers now have to invest in the dynamic short-form video format while also understanding how to create a content marketing strategy that sticks the landing with audiences. For tourism marketers, it’s not just about posting beautiful photos anymore but about highlighting engaging, authentic experiences that audiences will want to watch and engage with. 

Let’s dive into the world of social media marketing for tourism to help you build a robust strategy — in this blog, we explore: 

  • Why social media is important for tourism.
  • The best social channels for tourism marketing.
  • Five steps to developing a tourism social media strategy. 

Why Social Media Is Important for Tourism Marketing

Tourism is a massive $5.8 trillion industry across the globe. To put it into perspective, the industry averages nearly one billion tourist arrivals yearly. Marketing destinations to an audience this large — a sizable portion of the global population — requires channels that are able to reach almost everyone, and nothing fits that criteria quite like social media.

Social media is electric; content can spread to thousands of people in minutes and marketers simply do not see that kind of reach outside of expensive paid campaigns. Tourist destinations can reach a global audience, engage with future travelers and showcase their unique offerings without breaking the bank. 

The benefit of modern social media is that it is simple. A ten-second video filmed on a phone can reach comparable audiences to a paid campaign. With the right strategy, particularly by optimizing content to strike gold on the algorithm, marketers can drive awareness, boost bookings and foster a community of loyal followers.

The Best Social Media Channels for Tourism Marketing 

There is no universal answer for which social channel marketers should invest in. Different channels cater to different audiences and have varying purposes depending on your brand’s goals.

  • Facebook is home to an older demographic and is great to share detailed information about your offerings to audiences with buying power. However, marketers have to compete with saturated newsfeeds, and boosting posts with ad spend is the name of the game to gain an audience.
  • Instagram focuses on visuals and has recently entered the world of social entertainment with Reels. Reels perform well organically, meaning marketers can gain significant traction without spending a lot on ads.
  • TikTok is the channel that disrupted the market and inspired change from all platforms. It offers the opportunity to reach younger demographics who seek fun experiences, which aligns well with the tourism industry.

5 Steps To Develop a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Tourism

Successful social media campaigns for travel marketing have many moving pieces, including channel strategy, identifying audiences, creating engaging content and measuring results to make refinements. 

Here are some tips that will help bolster your tourism marketing campaigns .

Practice Social Listening

Social listening is the easiest way to determine what audiences want, how they’re talking about you and what content they’re most likely to engage with. Traditionally it has involved monitoring mentions of your brand as well as relevant keywords, however, it has evolved to include AI-powered features such as:

  • Social listening trends and topics identification - to help you make better-performing content.
  • Advanced filtering - to ensure you cut out all the noise, including using images as a reference for filters rather than just keywords.
  • Competitive benchmarking - to help you figure out where you stack against your competitors.

Dive Into Tourist Demographics 

Understanding your target audience is key to developing content that works for them. Consider factors like age, location, interests and travel preferences. Budget is also important, as older travelers may have the buying power for all-inclusive experiences, while younger travelers may be more interested in sightseeing and other low-cost activities. These factors will help create content that resonates most with your audience demographic across social channels.

Localize Campaigns When Relevant 

Social media is global, and tourism campaigns can find a more vast audience than other mediums. Developing a global social media strategy by localizing campaigns by region and language can make them more relevant and engaging. This could involve highlighting attractions that are appealing to international audiences but old news for locals, sharing local stories, or even partnering with influencers who have traveled from afar. When it comes to tourism, there is nothing more authentic than a testimonial from a real tourist who had an amazing time, and in many cases, they will create user-generated content.

Measure Success

The best way to create a successful campaign is through experimentation and iteration. Social media analytics tools allow brands to track the performance of their campaigns in ways that native social analytics do not allow. Metrics such as engagement, reach and conversion rates are valuable to understand what’s working and what’s not — and platforms such as Dash Hudson offer even more sophisticated metrics, such as Entertainment Score , to rank how entertained audiences were by your content on a scale of 1 to 10, or Vision , which uses AI to give a star rating to content that will perform well with audiences before you even post it.

Lean Into Stunning Visuals 

Ultimately, tourism marketing is visual. High-quality images and videos make all the difference in inspiring travelers to visualize themselves at your destination. Text provides meaningful context to help drive bookings, but it is the imagery that tells the story of what your travel spot is and what experiences travelers can expect once they’re there.

Social Media Marketing Tourism Examples 

Let’s look at the brands that are already doing a good job with social media marketing in the tourism industry. The following brands come from a variety of different areas and have different target audiences, but it is clear that they excel at common factors such as entertainment and creating content that resonates with audiences.

Eden Roc Cap Cana 

Luxury resort Eden Roc Cap Cana uses social to its fullest potential, combining a mix of static imagery and dynamic video to showcase guest experiences, events and seasonal highlights.

eden roc cap cana instagram post

The Viator travel app has a vibrant, digital-first approach to marketing. The brand understands that social media users care about experiences, and it also pairs its content with specific aesthetics, such as colors or astrological signs, to truly inspire viewers to picture themselves in the moment.

viator reel

Celebrity Cruises 

Celebrity Cruises has a robust TikTok marketing strategy, using the video format to immerse viewers in international destinations and experiences. The brand’s top-performing posts are notably behind-the-scenes footage of the crew answering questions and having fun.

celebrity cruises tiktok

Explore Charleston

Explore Charleston uses TikTok to partner with local businesses, tourist destinations and independent creators to create a compelling narrative about the city’s vibrant community.

explore charleston tiktok

NYC Ferry has taken a modern, trendy approach to TikTok — appealing to Gen Z riders with humorous content and all the latest trending sounds . This is a great example of an organization taking a much different approach for TikTok, as diverse channel strategies are essential for maximizing social media impact.

nyc ferry tiktok

Breeze Airways

Breeze Airways excels at video on Instagram, including sharing a plethora of fun Reels showcasing flights, destinations and marketing campaigns. Its focus on flight staff helps give a face to the brand, while its content helps to demystify the flying experience.

breeze airways reel

Dash Hudson For Your Tourism Strategy

Stunning visuals are a huge factor in travel — 37% of travelers in the United States used their mobile phones to find travel inspiration on social media. To make your tourism marketing as impactful as possible, brands should use a combination of compelling images and videos to entice users. 

Dash Hudson offers a suite of tools to support your tourism marketing strategy and visual content. With a wide range of features like Vision , Campaigns and Social Listening , you can create better content with AI-powered insights that predict visual performance, report on your success in just a few clicks and develop a cohesive profile of your audience. 

14 day free dash hudson trial

What is tourism marketing?

Tourism marketing involves promoting a destination, tourism-related product or service, with the goal of attracting visitors and boosting bookings.

How does social media impact tourism and travel? 

Social media has a significant impact on tourism and travel. It allows brands to reach a global audience, engage with potential travelers and showcase their unique offerings. It also provides travelers with a platform to share their experiences, influencing the decisions of others through user-generated content.

How has social media changed tourism? 

Social media has revolutionized tourism by making it more interactive and personalized. It has given travelers a way to share their experiences and opinions, and algorithms serve content to people who have expressed an interest in travel. For tourism brands, it offers a budget-friendly way to market to a large number of people.

How is social media boosting global tourism? 

Social media has removed all limitations in destination discovery. Travelers can find content about any location, get inspired by UGC, and make decisions based on what they’re seeing on their feeds. Many tourist destinations have seen sudden upticks in travelers because of social media trends, which are impossible to predict but highly beneficial when they happen.

Don’t Miss Out

Join our community of experts to get the latest social media resources, trends and tips delivered straight to your inbox
each week.

Related Articles

social media tourism marketing

The Only Social Platform Marketers Need To Succeed and Scale

Why social media is a must-have marketing channel for tour operators

the vital role of social media in tourism marketing

By Kevin Tjoe — 28 Feb 2022

marketing strategies   social media   tourism marketing

Updated April 2023 – Could #hashtags help grow your guest list? 

Can TikTok really boost your travel bookings?

If you’re running tours or activities in the tourism industry, chances are you’re maintaining a social media presence too. That’s because it’s the place to be found. 4.55 billion people now use social media actively, and as a population, we spend a surprising 15% of our waking hours scrolling our social feeds. That popularity translates into more bookings for many tourism businesses. 

Let’s explore the role of social media in tourism marketing at key points in the customer journey – and how you can use it to maximize your reach and impact.  

How does social media influence tourism?

The importance of social media in the tourism industry cannot be overstated. Social media and tourism pair beautifully together, because they both focus on sharing experiences. 

As highlighted by global tourism industry statistics , social media’s impact on tourism can be particularly potent for younger demographics. 46% of Generation Z travelers say Instagram influences their travel decisions, with 50% also taking cues from Facebook posts. Millennials are just as receptive to social media, with 51% saying their travel decisions are influenced or inspired by Facebook interactions. Given that Millennials alone make up 31.5% of the global population, that can be a massive share of your market you can easily and affordably reach!

So, what exactly is the role of social media in tourism marketing and at which points in the customer journey can social media have an effect?

social media impact on tourism

Building awareness & providing inspiration

Those social posts about lounging over the water in the Maldives, camping at Yosemite or going on safari in Tanzania? They all inspire wanderlust and raise awareness of those unique places in the world.  Destination marketing can be just as important as promoting your specific products or services when it comes to the phenomenal impact of social media on tourism. As a result, effective social media marketing might not focus solely on inspirational content about your tours or activities but also highlight the truly amazing aspects of your special corner of the world.

Assisting with travel planning

Helping would-be guests dream about travel is a great outcome, but converting that interest to action is key for your business. Social media can be a powerful place to help customers form travel plans and solidify their travel dates. 

To encourage these positive social media effects on a tourism business, you could: 

  • Post quick up-to-date videos on the best times of year to book
  • Discuss any exciting events coming up in the area, and 
  • Share useful tips about travel to your location

Easing the booking process

Now to convert that travel intent into active bookings. Online bookings can originate from a variety of sources – from Instagram, to big Online Travel Agents (OTAs) – so it helps to direct traffic to your own dedicated booking website or online tour scheduling software .

It’s so important that you have a secure, seamless online booking process available to capture interest from any location at any time of day. It’s also important that resellers and online travel agents can see live availability and make real-time reservations for your tours or activities, so you’ll be able to capture every ounce of that online interest.

Sharing experiences

social media effects on tourism

The importance of social media in the tourism industry becomes crystal clear when you consider the way people love to share and recount their tourism experiences online. Social posts can be an incredibly important source of social proof, and a post from friends or family could be enough to inspire that next getaway. This is why it’s vital to follow up on your guest experiences with automated review requests for your website, social pages, or TripAdvisor. 

Benefits of social media marketing for tour operators

As a tour operator, you know the importance of reaching new customers and keeping existing ones engaged. Social media marketing can help you achieve both of these goals and much more.

In this section, we’ll explore some of the key benefits of social media marketing for tour operators.

Enhanced brand awareness

As a tour operator, social media marketing is an effective way to increase brand awareness. By creating and maintaining an active social media presence, tour operators can reach a wider audience and increase their visibility in the market. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn allow tour operators to showcase their products and services, share customer feedback and reviews, and create engaging content that appeals to their target audience. You can also play around with Instagram stories to show the more human side of your brand. Schedule Instagram stories to come out during peak hours when your audience is online.

By regularly posting high-quality content and interacting with followers, tour operators can build a strong online community and establish their brand as a trusted authority in the industry. This can lead to increased bookings, as customers are more likely to choose a tour operator with a recognizable brand and positive online reputation.

Increased customer engagement

Social media marketing can be a powerful tool for tour operators to increase customer engagement. By regularly posting relevant and interesting content, responding to comments and messages, and actively participating in online conversations, tour operators can create a sense of community with their customers. This engagement can lead to increased customer loyalty and advocacy, as customers feel more connected to the brand and are more likely to recommend the tour operator to others.

Targeted and relevant ads

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow tour operators to create targeted and relevant advertisements that reach potential customers who are interested in their products or services. These ads can be based on a user’s interests, demographics, behavior, and more, ensuring that they are delivered to the right audience at the right time. This level of customization and targeting helps tour operators to maximize their advertising spend and improve their ROI by reaching people who are most likely to convert into paying customers. Additionally, social media platforms offer valuable analytics and reporting tools that allow tour operators to track the performance of their ads and make data-driven decisions about their marketing strategies.

Cost-effective marketing campaigns

One of the biggest online marketing challenges tour operators face is managing their marketing budget effectively. Social media marketing provides a cost-effective solution by allowing tour operators to reach a large audience with minimal spending. Compared to traditional advertising channels like print or TV, social media platforms offer much lower costs per impression or click, allowing tour operators to stretch their marketing dollars further.

On a similar note, social media platforms offer a range of advertising options to suit different budgets and objectives, from simple boosted posts to more advanced targeting options like custom audiences and lookalike audiences. By leveraging social media marketing, tour operators can maximize their reach and engagement while keeping their advertising costs under control. 

Social media tactics to reach customers and get more bookings

Social media is an essential marketing channel for tour operators who want to reach new customers and increase bookings. However, with so many social media platforms and marketing tactics available, it can be challenging to know where to start. 

Whether you’re just getting started with social media marketing or looking to take your campaigns to the next level, these tips and tricks will help you succeed. And if you’re looking for even more tour operator marketing ideas, you can check out more tour operator marketing ideas here.

  • Share high-quality photos and videos of your tours and activities to showcase your offerings and entice potential customers
  • Keep your Facebook page updated with fresh content and engage with your followers through comments and messages
  • Use Facebook Ads to target specific audiences based on interests, demographics, and behaviors, and drive traffic to your website or booking page
  • Join relevant Facebook groups for travelers, adventure enthusiasts, or people interested in your destination to promote your tours and interact with potential customers
  • Utilize Facebook Events to promote upcoming tours and activities, and encourage followers to RSVP and share with their friends and networks.

importance of social media in tourism industry

  • Share visually stunning photos and videos of your tours and activities to showcase your offerings and capture the attention of potential customers
  • Use Instagram Stories to provide a behind-the-scenes look at your business and create a sense of exclusivity and urgency for potential customers
  • Utilize Instagram Reels to create short, engaging videos that highlight the unique experiences and adventures you offer
  • Collaborate with influencers or micro-influencers who have a following that aligns with your target audience, and have them showcase your tours and activities on their Instagram accounts
  • Use relevant hashtags to increase your reach and attract potential customers who are searching for content related to your destination or activities
  • Engage with your followers and potential customers by responding to comments and direct messages, and by following and engaging with relevant accounts in your industry

You can check out these great examples of tour operator Instagram pages for more inspiration.

  • Share updates and news about your tours and activities on Twitter to keep your followers and potential customers informed and engaged
  • Use relevant hashtags to increase the reach of your tweets and attract potential customers who are searching for content related to your destination or activities
  • Monitor and respond to customer questions and comments on Twitter to provide excellent customer service and build a positive reputation for your business
  • Retweet and engage with other relevant accounts in the tourism industry to build relationships and increase your visibility within the community
  • Create high-quality videos showcasing your tours and activities, and upload them to YouTube to provide potential customers with a virtual tour and entice them to book
  • Use targeted YouTube Ads to reach potential customers who are interested in your destination or activities, and drive traffic to your website or booking page
  • Collaborate with relevant YouTubers or influencers to showcase your tours and activities to their audience and expand your reach
  • Create virtual tours of your destination or activities to provide potential customers with an immersive and engaging experience, even before they book
  • Utilize YouTube’s analytics tools to track views and engagement metrics and adjust your content and advertising strategies accordingly
  • Create inspiring travel boards on Pinterest that showcase your destination and the experiences and activities that you offer
  • Use relevant keywords in your board titles, descriptions, and pins to increase visibility and attract potential customers who are searching for content related to your destination or activities
  • Collaborate with relevant influencers or travel bloggers to feature your destination or activities on their boards and increase your reach
  • Include a “book now” call-to-action on your pins to drive traffic to your website or booking page

social media tourism marketing

  • Create short, engaging videos showcasing your destination and the experiences and activities that you offer on TikTok
  • Participate in trending challenges and use popular hashtags to increase the reach of your videos and attract potential customers who are searching for content related to your destination or activities
  • Use TikTok Ads to target specific audiences based on interests, demographics, and behaviors, and drive traffic to your website or booking page
  • Collaborate with relevant TikTok influencers or micro-influencers to feature your destination or activities in their videos and increase your reach

Key takeaways

In today’s digital age, social media has become a crucial component of any tourism business’s marketing strategy. By leveraging the power of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest, tour operators can effectively promote their destination and activities, reach new customers, and increase bookings. From creating visually stunning content to engaging with followers and collaborating with influencers, there are countless ways that tour operators can use social media to drive business success.

Simply put, prioritizing social media marketing can be a key element of a business’s overall marketing strategy, tour operators can position themselves for success in the competitive tourism industry.

Easily manage incoming bookings from your social media platforms with the help of an online booking software. For example, Rezdy automates the entire booking process with advanced tools such as real-time availability viewer, automated guest communication, and the ability to accept secure digital payments.

Ready to join the thousands of Rezdy operators that increased their bookings by an average of 27% in 2022? Start your FREE  21-day trial  or  book a demo  today.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to the  Rezdy newsletter , where you’ll receive weekly up-to-date learnings and news from the Experiences industry, straight into your inbox.

Start free trial

Enjoy 21 days to take a look around and see if we are a good fit for your business.

No obligations, no catches, no limits, nada

Marketing Materials

social media tourism marketing

How to write a tourism newsletter that captures readers’ attention

tiktok travel trends

How TikTok travel trends are helping tour operators increase direct bookings

social media tourism marketing

Top tactics for social media booking growth

By continuing to use this website you agree to the use of cookies according to our privacy policy and terms .

Social Media Marketing in Tourism: 6 Ways to Drive Success

Gravitate Favicon

Gravitate Team

Gravitate Favicon

  • Embracing Progress: Introducing Our New Website!
  • How We Design Websites with UX at the Forefront
  • Website ADA Compliance (What You Need to be Compliant)
  • Why you need to migrate to GA4 – like, yesterday.
  • The Importance of Meta Descriptions
  • Meet Julianne, Our New Account Manager!
  • Google’s Newest Update: Understanding the Helpful Content and What It Means For Your Business
  • Meet Rachel, Our New Digital Coordinator!
  • Meet Chad, Our New Digital Coordinator!
  • Why Law Firm Branding Matters & How to Build Your Brand
  • The New Digital DMO Model
  • Nonprofit Web Design Best Practice: Increasing Donations

June 28, 2021 | Gain Knowledge

Social media marketing in tourism

Explore our best practices for social media marketing in tourism. Discover how travel companies can engage users and attract new customers.

As the world begins to bounce back from the effects of COVID-19, people are itching to get on a plane, a train, a car, a bicycle—anything that will take them someplace new and exciting.

After so much time spent at home, we can expect a boom in the travel and tourism industry , and that means your business needs to be ready to hit the ground running.

Start planning your travel social media strategy now so that your tourism business can ride that wave of hungry travelers like a pro.

Why Social Media Marketing in Tourism Matters

Any travel business not leveraging social media is seriously missing out on prime marketing real estate.

Think about the types of posts you’re likely to run into when, say, scrolling through Instagram. Pets, food, fashion, travel, etc. are all common themes. After all, if you travel to a scenic locale but don’t document it online, did it really happen?

So, you know travel aficionados are likely to be active on social media. And since much of social media is highly visual, it provides an excellent opportunity to lure customers in with enticing pictures and videos of a sunny beach or an Italian villa.

Social media is also a place people turn to when they have questions about travel and tourism, and if your company can provide these answers, you might just have yourself a loyal customer.

One loyal customer can lead to many more as they spread the word about your company with their friends and followers.

Social Media for the Travel Industry Best Practices

We’ve established that the role of social media in the tourism industry is incredibly important. But how can you fully take advantage of the power of social media? Here are some tried and true best practices:

1. Target the RIGHT Demographic

While people from all walks of life travel, many prominent influencers and travel bloggers are young. That means that creating content that caters to this Gen Z demographic and staying on top of the latest trends and hippest social media platforms will serve you well.

Depending on your specific business, though, you may be targeting an older, more affluent audience. If most of your customers are business travelers, for instance, LinkedIn may be a good place to focus your attention.

If you provide cruise experiences, you might do well to target retirees and other people looking for a luxurious, slow-paced form of travel. So, do your research and meet your audience where they are .

2. Leverage Travel Influencers

On the note of influencers, partnering with one can skyrocket your conversion rates. See if a travel blogger can feature your site, if a travel expert can do a review, or if an influencer will rep your business.

These powerful online figures bring with them hoards of loyal followers who trust their judgement, so building good relationships here can dramatically increase the number of customers you have overnight.

That being said, don’t put all your eggs in this basket; who is “in” as an influencer can change faster than the weather, and one connection won’t save you if your marketing strategy is otherwise lacking.

Instead, think of these connections as a potential cherry on top of an otherwise glowing social media campaign.

3. Make Connections with Video

Video content has been growing in importance and popularity in the past couple of years, and this is one trend tourism companies should hop on.

A quality video showing exciting locations will make anyone start thinking about saving up for a plane ticket. Instagram and Facebook are musts for tourism agencies, but also consider posting on YouTube, SnapChat, and TikTok.

When planning video content, don’t limit yourself to pre-recorded videos either. Consider live streaming. It’s a trendy way to pull in viewers.

To enhance your video production process, use a free online video editor tool to edit your videos. Make them look more professional and polished.

4. Paid Social Ads

Ads are an easy and effective way to get your business in front of new customers.

When creating your ads, focus on targeting the correct audience and crafting ad copy that is engaging and compelling. You want something that will stop a person mid-scroll.

5. Customer Service

It’s now common for people to reach out to businesses via social media when they have questions or comments. And when you’re in the travel industry, you know your customers will always have plenty of questions!

As such, make sure your team is monitoring comments and messages on social media and is able to respond to them quickly and effectively.

6. Use a Social Media Tool

Your business needs to post consistently across your social media platforms to maintain a strong online presence, which means that organization is critical.

Rather than trying to dump all your info in an Excel sheet, you can use a tool such as Hootsuite to schedule posts and track performance.

Partnering with a travel social media agency also makes it easy to crank out quality content without anything slipping through the cracks.

Whatever your strategy looks like, consistency is key. Regularly putting out social media posts for tourism will help you increase visibility and stay top of mind for customers.

Bon Voyage!

While the tourism industry has certainly taken its hits, the future looks bright.

It’s the perfect time to dust off your social media marketing in tourism strategy and inject it with added energy and determination.

Tourism and social media dance together beautifully at all times, but especially when people are so eager for a little tourism magic in their lives.

Manufacturing Marketing Mastery: A 2024 Guide

Seo for startups: a guide to grow your business in 2024, why is web design important for your business (does it really make a difference), hire gravitate. get results., web design & development.

We deliver compelling digital experiences to drive brands forward, engage target audiences, and drive results.

Digital Marketing

We evolve and continually enhance your digital presence to drive traffic and improve conversions.

app.global.browsehappy.title

app.global.browsehappy.content

Google Chrome

Mozilla Firefox

Microsoft Edge

Internet Explorer

Unite social media and tourism with your Social Media Plan

Digital marketing in tourism has always been an important factor, just like in hospitality, and is positioned in the epicenter of the user’s tourism experience. Both small and large companies in tourist destinations have to be aware of this and take advantage of the new opportunities that arise in the sector. Tourism and technology go hand-in-hand and we can’t understand one without the other.

Social media has meant a change in the way we understand tourism , both for users and companies. Trends on social media set the path and companies are required t o revise their marketing strategies so that they are present on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The numbers don’t lie; there are 4.2 billion social media users around the world and they don’t use social media for just news, laughing at memes, or following celebrities. They are using social media to share opinions, choose travel destinations, and learn about brands. Social media tourism has an audience.

Digital marketing and tourism: why you need a social media plan

Social media plays a tremendously important role in the decision making process of shoppers . Conscious of this, some networks like Facebook have improved their company pages and Instagram introduced its shopping feature to serve as a shopping platform. The change has arrived and we can’t ignore it. And although we live in times when it’s hard to travel due to COVID-19 , we have faith in the future. That’s why we have to prepare a tourism marketing campaign for tough times .

Social media and tourism: the importance of a social media plan

Social media allows us to connect with our audience on a much deeper level. You create not just brand awareness with your audience, but also an awareness and a real empathy between the user and the product: a strong bond that brings us loyal clients and creates new business opportunities thanks to mouth-to-mouth, which adds a great value. For companies, social media is an instrument to monitor the brand , the competency and related industries; interact with users on topics related to the company and their community; publicize offers and answer complaints , suggestions, or user ideas in a direct way. 

At the intersection between social media marketing and tourism , it’s very important to plan. Creating strategies, structuring your actions, and linking each new campaign to a concrete goal is key. On the other hand, you’re playing blind: you can be right with some ideas and fail with others, but you won’t be able to evaluate why and learn from your work. Your digital marketing plan for tourism can be the key that opens doors to a multitude of new clients, if you know how to do it:

Trends in tourism and social network: SOSTAC Methodology

social media tourism marketing

The SOSTAC methodology was created by PR. Smith in 1990. This acronym outlines the necessary steps to follow when it comes to creating a digital strategy:

Situation analysis

Company situation , internal information 

Environment and sector ( market study )

Competitive advantages 

Analysis of the proposed channels in the marketing and communication strategy

DAFO Analysis (provides a real vision of our position within the market and helps us to define the necessary strategies to optimize every action)

SMART Objectives 

Define goals and KPIs

Define budget

Humanize the brand

Monitor 

Know interests

Increase email lists

Target 

Define campaigns

Open markets  

Strategy 

Define our public through the Buyer Persona and learn their behavior in the buying process through the Buyer Journey, the active search process that brings a potential consumer along until they buy our product or service.

Tactics 

Convert strangers into visitors, leads, consumers, and evangelists through the right content , according to the moment of the shopping process in which they are found. Content is king when we talk about digital marketing: work to the detail what information you share and how you present it according to the interest level of the lead. You should guide them along until they reach conversion. 

Action 

Do everything that we can put into action to achieve defined goals. It’s important to establish the moment, in what way the actions will be carried out, and what Social Selling tools we will use to be able to track the effectiveness of our strategies. 

Control 

Ensure that the strategy is being followed from all departments mentioned in the project and that the focus is still on the created goal. For that, it’s imperative to measure the ROI of your Social Media Marketing strategy . How do you do it? Establish your own metrics that adapt to the project. Analyze everything you do, week by week, month by month. Study your results and change the tactics and actions if you aren’t getting the desired results. 

6 steps to create a tourism digital marketing plan 

A digital marketing plan is a declaration of intent of the company to the market. Applied to the social media environment, it’s a document that allows for the organization and planning of the different social networks as online channels of communication with our users, with the goal of achieving the decided goals of the company. For this communication to be effective, we need to outline a pre-planned strategy based on the following points:

How to define our goals SMART GOALS

Depending on the trends of the tourism sector of the moment or the campaign in particular on which we are working, business goals can be different: increasing sales, improving our reputation online, converting new clients, etc. In the field of social media, the goals are: 

Increasing sales → increase the frequency of sales, incentivize buying, look for sales opportunities, incentivize the need of or wish to use our products or services

Improving online reputation → maintain direct communication with the users through customer service 

Converting new clients → increase the number of followers or fans of your community, create and share viral content that reaches more users, improve the online visibility of the company.

SMART Goals for your tourism digital marketing

How to find our target audience: the need of the Buyer Persona in tourism 

The buyer persona is fundamental because it is the element on which to build the entire strategy, thought for and by clients/tourists of our tourist destination, hotel, country house, or travel agency. It’s a detailed representation of our ideal client that we create from the study and analyze with the consumer data:

Married/single/divorced

With/without children, age of children

Living alone/with a partner

Higher education

Job, salary range, role, and functions

Professional aspirations

Beauty and fashion preferences 

What they do in their free time

What they value, what they care about 

We can have different Buyer Personas for the same tourism business , different client profiles that look for our products and services. However, we recommend starting with fewer to center efforts on directing the most relevant content to the appropriate audience. 

Social media and tourism in 2021

Research and contextualize potential clients, analyze and evaluate the shopping behaviors of your clients and their consumption habits, and create a profile with highlighted data . Lend some humanity to your profile with photos and a biography that goes beyond their shopping habits: everything is important when it comes to creating a good BP. 

Decide on which social networks to work 

According to your target audience, create a strategy in which you have to decide on which networks you’ll have a presence and where you’re going to center your efforts. In each platform, the content strategy must be different.

Define the strategy and editorial calendar on each social network 

It’s recommended to leave nothing to improvisation if you are looking for positive results. A pre-planned strategy will help you to not always publish the same thing and vary the type of content. YouTube and Facebook are the most frequently used social media platforms for B2B research:

B2B Social networks

Plan in a calendar what you are going to communicate, on what network, and at what moment you will be allowed to control each platform. 

Have a crisis plan

Many companies don’t have a crisis plan that helps them face image conflicts. Developing a crisis plan in which we define a protocol allows us to avoid breakdowns as it helps us defend the company’s position and avoid losing our social reputation. At the same time, it allows us to inform and communicate the motives, causes, and position of the company to our community when facing any issue. 

Result Analysis

It’s not enough to just do. We have to know what is happening on each social network , what content is the most successful, which function is the worst, as well as their reach and the engagement that we have within the community. There are many technological solutions that help us manage networks and process data: Social Studio is an example. It’s found within the Salesforce ecosystem and with it we can actively listen to our company on the network from more than 650 million different sources, discover what’s trending, execute social marketing campaigns, and respond to clients in an attractive and correct way. 

The digital marketing strategy formula 

The plan is equal to Visibility + Proactivity + Reputation (P = V + P + R).

How do we obtain visibility?

Selecting the social channels that best adapt to the profile of our company

Criteria : where our actual or potential clients are

It’s better to be on fewer sites and update more than to be on many and not be active: Blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter…

Take care of the aesthetic: the first image is the one that counts and that also includes our own description (bio/about), fill all the possible fields

Create an editorial plan : what, who, to whom, how, when, where

How can we be proactive? 

Take action and leave fear behind

Entering doesn’t cost much, staying behind could be expensive

See, listen, learn from the best

Content marketing : on the internet, content is the most important thing

Share quality content: unpublished, funny, creative, original. Show what we know or do best.

Reuse content

Sell with style

Be careful with spelling

Spark/ participate in debates /conversations, request opinions, create and make your community loyal 

How do we take care of our reputation?

Monitor everything that is said about us

Optimize our positioning

The key is knowing how we relate to people

Speak in the name of the organization

Be humble and completely transparent

Respond to everything, as soon as we can

On the Internet, everything lasts forever . Remember that everything we publish can come back to bite us. Be cautious and think of the consequences. 

Deal with trolls and reputation crises 

With all this information, you’re ready to create a social media plan with which your social media and tourism networks can unite and be beneficial. If you need help, We Are Marketing is here for you.

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest digital trends.

Oct 07, 2021

Tools to Make Community Management Easier

Sep 09, 2021

How to get the most out of social media for fashion

Feb 25, 2021

Social Selling Tools: optimize your strategy

This website uses cookies to give you the most relevant experience. By browsing this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

What’s the Social Media Impact on Tourism?

By Breanna Lawlor

Share this article:

  • Facebook icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Twitter icon

social media tourism marketing

Ever driven up to a house and gotten the sense that the owners couldn’t care less about keeping it presentable? 

When it comes to tourism, social media can be considered the virtual equivalent of your front yard. If you haven’t cut the lawn in a year and have left a bunch of garbage out front, you’re not exactly going to entice guests to come in for tea. 

In how you care about your business and aim for it to be welcoming to guests, people’s initial interaction with your social media channels will determine whether to explore further. Welcome potential customers into your tourism business with a solid first impression. 

When’s the last time someone asked for your business card? Phone number? Now, how about your Instagram handle? 

The travel industry’s presence on mobile has exploded compared to where it was even a few years ago. Social media is paving the way for people from different corners of the world to plan their trips and share their experiences abroad. 

Regardless of where you are in the world, social media has an impact on tourism, which is why you should include it in your digital marketing strategy.

The importance of social media in the tourism industry

Social media channels are tools designed to help you own your brand and share interesting information about your company. Social media marketing for tour companies has drastically altered the landscape, offering sneak peeks to different corners of the world while inspiring people to travel. 

More people are using platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Youtube as search engines to decide where and when to venture to next. Geographic and trending hashtags on Instagram make it easy for social media users to hone in on what they’re looking for.

Using these wisely will encourage and make it easy for people to find your company within seconds. From there, it’s a matter of sharing content they will be intrigued by to keep users engaged. 

Mature male checking social media while traveling

Despite the restrictions that vary between countries, guests are planning trips in 2021 even before international travel is widely available again. This speaks to the importance of activity providers and tour operators maintaining an active presence on social platforms. 

Signalling that you’re open for business, you care about your customers and you’re welcome to guests is all made easier with an active presence on social media. Choose to be intentional about how you invest time online, taking 20 minutes a day to check in, respond to comments and share helpful insight within your industry. With more travelers looking to align booking choices with their values, social media gives you the opportunity to identify what matters to you.

As an expert in the tourism industry, your story is yours to tell. With social media, you’re able to connect with your audience faster and more direct than ever. Be intentional about finding out what they’re searching for and make it your purpose to post visually stimulating content with helpful information. In doing so, you’ll give followers a sense of the type of experience you set out to provide. 

Consider the booking journey  

Social media can influence decision-making throughout the trip planning process. Traveling is exciting and there are so many unknowns when guests first start evaluating their options! Focus on creating ways to answer questions and plant ideas as people are just starting to consider their options.

People are drawn in by beautiful photos. By using captivating, real-life images paired with personality-infused captions, you’ll intruigue your audience. Consider addressing common questions and sharing helpful tips as part of creating a happy guest experience.

Post a ‘top 5 tips’ list along with a photo showing off what the view is like once a guest arrives on site. Structure your social media posting schedule to be consistent so that you maintain a regular connection with your followers.

Here are some points along the booking journey to engage with your followers on social media:

Maybe your followers are getting lost in their browser dashboard photo or googling ‘tropical vacations’. Meet them where they are at with some wanderlust-inducing visuals that allow them to transport themselves there emotionally.

If there are secretive locations or activities only those ‘in the know’ get to enjoy, tease what makes them worth exploring. Your efforts on social media should highlight what makes you stand out from the rest.

Known favourably as keeping 17-tabs open ‘just in case’, the planning phase of the booking journey is all about ideas. It’s easy for people to research travel ideas using location and activity-specific hashtags on social media.

You can use social media to offer tips and ideas to inspire and help to streamline their trip planning. Consider sharing sneak peeks of tours-in-action, cozy-looking accommodations and remarkable sights to set the wheels in motion for people exploring your business.

Why not give them a reason to keep coming back to your social media channel for trip-planning inspiration? 

Curly haired woman checking social media in car

This is where the commitment happens as a result of having easy accessibility to the ‘book now’ button. As a tour operator, your goal needs to be to make the booking process streamlined, answering questions along the way.

Once a guest decides to book, your role is to guide them through the process, reducing friction as much as possible. Ensure key information is clearly communicated and the necessary intel is right there.

Make pricing buttons easy to find and let them know if they can book directly within the social media channel or provide a re-direct right to your website.  

Experiencing

This segment of the booking journey is the real deal. The goal should be to design an enjoyable booking experience from beginning to end. Experience comes down to every single interaction a guest has with your brand.

Imagine being halfway across the world, attempting to book a kayaking tour without knowing where the best spots are to explore. Put yourself in the guest’s position and see what kind of questions come to mind. Then, build your posts with the customer experience front of mind.

You may have a way of eloquently describing the activities you offer on your website, but does this match how your audience searches for the tours, activities, or information you offer? Tease new activities, adventures and tours on your social feed with the intent of igniting an emotional response for your viewer.

Be sure to address questions like: 

  • Is your business kid-friendly? 
  • Can I bring my dog? 
  • How long can I expect to be on tour?
  • Where are the nearest facilities?
  • What are your COVID-19 safety protocols?
  • When are tours/activities available?
  • What should I bring to this experience?

This leg of the customer experience takes place before, during and after a guest interacts with your travel business. It might look like publishing a short video of the fun move your guide showed them they could do while on a zipline or a photo of a camouflaged creature in the back 40 while on a mountaineering trek.

A critical element of sharing on social media is making use of feedback you receive. People widely use social media to highlight firsthand accounts of interactions with brands – both the good and the bad.

Plus, positive reviews can inspire future customers to book with you, especially if they happen to be considering booking with a competitor. Your goal is to foster an atmosphere of trust that you can be relied upon to meet, and more importantly, exceed their expectations. 

The role of social media in tourism marketing

Social Media is the virtual equivalent of sitting around a campfire and sharing stories – acting as a hub for sharing photos, meant to inspire others to experience the same thing for themselves.

As a snapshot or highlight reel of best moments, social media is a powerful marketing tool for tour and activity operators. A well-curated social channel can take care of your advertising needs, customer service and engagement strategy.

As a tour operator, time and energy are in limited supply. Focus on what you feel is key for your ideal guest and what information will be most helpful. ou can share firsthand recommendations of fun things to do, ways to explore and tours to participate in, along with your personal experiences as an authority in the tourism industry.

When thinking of what to post on social media as a tourism company, try infusing personality and practicality in your content. For instance, if you are returning from a guiding weekend, Facebook can act like a travel journal complete with personal accounts, photos and videos meant to draw a viewer into your offering. 

Young blonde woman taking photo of sunset in the mountains

Sharing reviews online helps curious followers to perceive your company as trustworthy. Ensure your posts are engaging and offer value, making sure to include guests in the conversation. 

Travelers are more likely to book an experience or location after reading through reviews. Leverage social sharing to highlight what you do well and point out what makes you worth booking with. 

Social media marketing tips

  • Share photos from a first-person perspective
  • Showcase views of mountain vistas or sitting in a kayak
  • Give a glimpse of the sounds (or lack thereof) while enjoying stargazing at your resort
  • Demo food + even DIY recipes offered by your resort
  • Opportunities to include your pet in outdoorsy adventures 

Sharing travel inspiration on social media is one of the visual platform’s strongest selling features. You can get really granular with what you offer and use the power of storytelling to compel your audience. Promoting a helpful, enjoyable and positive experience will give followers a reason to stop scrolling and discover about what you have to share. 

Keeping your sanity with social media 

If you know you cannot dedicate, or just don’t want to allocate time to managing another social feed pick a handful of feeds to focus on. It’s a good idea to claim your business name on social media, with a redirect to where you are most active on social feeds. 

As an experience provider, you know how important quality images are. Try planning out your content schedule in advance. Batch the process by making it a weekly task on a regular posting schedule as part of your marketing strategy. It’s more about consistency than publishing for the sake of posting. 

Realistically, if you’re focused on managing the daily tasks of running a business, perhaps posting every day is a stretch. Instead, try aiming to post 3 times a week, during times when your followers are likely to be online. 

Start exploring insights in the social media platforms you may already have active accounts with, including Instagram and Facebook, along with your website. You may notice your followers find value in specific content including sample itineraries or reviews from previous guests. 

Social media users appreciate hearing about real-life customer experiences. So, focus on connecting with your followers in the way you would interact with a guest in real life.

Final thoughts

Social media absolutely plays a role in the tourism industry whether you offer experiences, lodging or tours. Make social platforms work for you by honing in on the kind of guests you want to attract and what they are looking for as they plan their next adventure. 

Create visually engaging content that’s inspiring and relevant to your followers. Social media’s impact on tourism connects the dots for travelers longing to experience something new and exciting. Curating an active social media presence will have a positive impact on your tourism business, especially if you focus on sharing content that is both emotionally and visually appealing.

If you’re looking for creative ways to optimize your business, integrate social media in a way that helps you focus on continuing to create amazing opportunities for people to discover and rave about your tourism business.

Want more social media marketing tips right in your inbox?

social media tourism marketing

Subscribe to the Checkfront Newsletter

Read new tips on how to get more bookings every month.

Related Articles

View from a quad bike in nature with a woman in front driving off road on an all terrain vehicle. POV of a quad biker following another ATV on a trail

How to write ATV tour descriptions that drive bookings (with examples) 

Learn how to write ATV rental descriptions with SEO-ready language that help you sell more bookings

  • Marketing Strategies

4 ease and effective pricing tactics for activity and rental operators

Easy & effective pricing tactics for activity and rental operators

Ever wondered why at the movie theatre you’re likely to opt for a Large Popcorn instead of a Small or…

Search Blog

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Get tips and strategies to grow your business and impress your guests.

Blog Categories

  • Booking Management
  • Business Tips
  • Guest Experience
  • Operator Highlights

5 Powerful Ways Social Media Tourism Marketing Will Boost Your Business

by straightupwebsites | Mar 25, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

hot air balloon floating over mountains

The impact of social media tourism in the travel industry is profound .

It allows businesses like yours to connect with potential customers in ways that have never before been possible . 

It also allows customers to communicate with each other, and learning how to tap into these networks is vital!

Social Media Tourism can Work for You!

It creates a community of travellers who can share their experiences and help each other plan trips. 

That’s great news for your travel business if you know how to take advantage of it!

At Straight Up Website, we’re all about empowering your travel business. So, in this article, I’ll explore the power of social media tourism and its crucial role in your marketing strategy.

Social Media has a Powerful Impact on Tourism Marketing

Social media and tourism provide a unique opportunity for marketers to connect with potential customers. 

After all, tourism marketers can create an emotional connection with potential customers through social media. 

That can be a powerful motivator for people to travel and engage with products and services!

Social media allows tourism marketers to share engaging and inspiring content with potential customers via digital marketing. 

That combination of personal connection and exciting content has changed the role of social media for travel industry businesses.

Here’s why…

The Importance of an Active Posting Strategy is Huge!

84% of millennials use online reviews and postings to work out their travel plans. 

That means they’re searching the web for what others say about your destination or service. 

According to this study from Cornell , positive reviews attract far more significant numbers of venue visitors. 

More excitingly, they also enable companies to increase prices and profitability!

So Much Support is Available

Many companies have developed ways to support businesses with their online offers in recent years. 

Industry organisations like VisitBritain frequently run workshops on the power of social media marketing . 

But here’s the critical part…

You need to develop an integrated marketing plan to harness the power of user-generated content. 

My post here is a good starting point for learning more about it.

How Has Social Media Been Used to Successfully Market Tourism Destinations?

visit britain home page

Social media allows potential visitors to connect with a destination and get a sense of what it offers. 

Providers can also use it to share special offers and discounts , encouraging people to book a trip.

Examples of Successful Social Media Tourism

– The VisitBritain campaign “Inspiring the World to Travel to Britain” successfully increased tourism traffic. The campaign featured photos and videos of people from all over the world enjoying different aspects of British culture. VisitBritain promoted it extensively through social media.

– The Australian Tourism Board created a social media campaign called “There’s Nothing Like Australia.” The campaign featured videos of people from all over the world talking about why they love Australia. People shared the videos on social media , and the hashtag #ILoveAustralia generated buzz. The result was a significant increase in tourism traffic .

The social media campaign “#FeedYourAdventure” promoted a new zip line attraction at the Adventure Park in New York. The campaign featured visitors zip lining and enjoying other activities at the park. Visitors shared posts on social media, and the park saw increased visitors .

Did you notice what those examples all had in common?

Feature Images and Videos of Awesome Experiences!

These examples show how social media can successfully market tourist destinations . 

By featuring images and videos of people enjoying a destination, social media can create a sense of excitement . 

What’s more, it can even encourage people to visit you!

How to use Social Media Tourism to Connect Customers With Your Business

digital travel summit apac 2022

When it comes to tourism marketing, making a connection is critical . 

Social media provides a fantastic interactive platform for businesses to connect with their target audiences. 

By building relationships with potential tourists on several platforms, businesses can create trust and credibility, increasing sales and profits .

Make use of Popular Platforms and Networks.

Some of the most popular social media platforms for tourism marketing include Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Snapchat , and Pinterest . 

These platforms allow businesses to share information about their products or services with potential customers worldwide. 

They let businesses connect with customers more personally, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty .

Get Personal with your Customers

Overall, social media provides a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audiences. 

It helps them build relationships to increase sales and profits too. 

Companies can connect with potential tourists personally, interact, and engage, increasing tourism traffic and revenue.

According to Forbes , consistency comes top of the list when building those personal relationships. 

My top tips for combining social media and tourism are:

Provide Value . The content you post has to be worth something to the reader. It could be a special offer, an original review, or a new image of a well-known destination. 

You must generate worth for your reader if you want them to trust you with their holiday. 

Trust Your Authenticity . Your voice needs to stand out when it comes to social sharing. 

Keep your posts and content related to your brand message or online strategy. Social media platforms promote original user-generated content, and the tourism industry thrives on it. 

Track the Algorithm . Trends change, and so do the algorithms that drive user interaction. Keep on top of what’s hot and which strategies to use by working with experts . 

Set Some Targets . Consistent posting works . Search engines learn that your feeds are active and full of quality content. 

You could define a set number of specific posts or regularly post on related topics in a particular time frame. 

Brands that build followers and influence develop a dynamic online reputation .

You can discover just how much a WordPress travel website, complete with social media integration, should be costing you here .

How to use Social Media to Market Your Tourist Destination

Digital marketing will sell your destination when done well. 

So, what should you do if you want to use social media for your tourism business?

The first step is to understand your audience and their social media platforms. 

Once you know that, you can start creating content relevant to them and their interests. 

Remember, it’s not just about promoting your business. 

It’s also essential to engage with your audience and create a social media presence that is friendly and welcoming.

The Six Golden Rules for Destination Marketing

  • Use social media to create a strong relationship with your customers. Show them that you appreciate their business by promptly responding to their comments and questions.
  • Utilise several social media platforms to give your customers exclusive deals and discounts. 
  • Make sure that the information on your social media pages is up-to-date and accurate. It should integrate seamlessly with your website.
  • Use social media to share photos and videos of your destination. That will give potential customers a taste of what your destination offers.
  • Keep in mind that social media is a two-way street. It’s not just about broadcasting your message; it’s also about listening to what your customers say. Use social media to gather feedback about your destination and improve based on what you hear.
  • Increase brand use and visibility. When users interact with your brand, they are more likely to remember your name when ready to book a vacation.
  • Don’t Forget The Tourist Buying Journey

the tourism planning journey

Your brand should always target the tourist buying journey regardless of your platform . 

When tourists are looking to buy something, the level of service you provide informs their decision making . 

That’s because tourists frequently search for things specific to their needs and interests. 

They want to find the best deals on flights, hotels, and activities. They also want to learn about the culture and attractions of their visiting destination!

Social Media Tourism and the Tourist Journey

Broken down simply, your social media marketing needs to target customers in the four phases of their buying journey:  

Awareness . Your travel company should reach out across the web, using a range of channels, using the right SEO strategies . That’ll generate interest in your destination and get potential customers to learn more about it.

Evaluation : You can help tourists compare different sites and destinations and find the best deals in the sector. That builds trust and aids decision making . 

Purchase : Regular posting as part of a strategy makes it easy for tourists to buy tickets or book a hotel. By positioning yourself as an expert guide , you become their go-to for buying a holiday.

Post Trip : Social media allows everyone to share positive experiences and post valuable content after completing a trip. Resharing users’ posts is a great benefit of digital marketing!

Conclusion: Social Media Tourism is full of Business Benefits for You!

Social media and tourism have become an integral part of many people’s lives. It’s a powerful tool that connects visitors and destinations alike. 

When used effectively, social media can be a great asset to any business in the tourism industry. 

​​ Need help with your social media marketing ?

Let us know. We are here to support you on your journey. It’s of even more value when correctly integrated into your business website. 

If you need some advice, check out my article on why it’s crucial to maintain your travel website here .

Enjoy building your tourism business through social media, and thanks for reading!

Comment below if you have any questions!

Have you used social media tourism to boost your business marketing successfully? Tell us about your experience below!

Sign Up and Receive Exclusive Offers .

We promise no spam. Just pure value.

social media tourism marketing

Join Now for FREE

  • More Networks

Enter Your Info Below And We'll Send You The AI Script That Is Making Me $100-250/Day Passively

8 Social Media Trends Destination Marketers Need To Know in 2024

social media tourism marketing

One thing that all destination marketers know is that having an authentic social media strategy is crucial to making audiences feel connected to your brand.  

Good storytelling on social media can bring people closer together, which is why it’s imperative for a DMO’s (destination marketing organization) digital marketing plans to prioritize daily thoughtful experiences and conversations on social media.

Planning your social marketing strategy for the coming months or even next year? Here are a few of the latest social media trends and high-performing favorites worth doubling down on.

1. User-generated storytelling trumps traditional advertising 

Travelers can sense when something isn’t authentic, especially in our hyper-connected world where user photos, reviews, and hashtags are pre-baked into the travel planning process. And with the recent explosion of AI, this authenticity is more critical than ever. 

Before making decisions, travelers tend to take a multi-touch approach to ensure their vacation experience is 100% as advertised. In fact, 79% of people say user-generated content (UGC) has had a highly effective impact in their decisions. (Stackla, 2020)

For today’s traveler, anything less than authentic will turn them off from your marketing. In 2024, it’s likely we’ll see user-generated content and creator-generated content continue to dominate the content marketing plans of brands across industries–but especially in destination marketing. 

2. Generative AI is changing the game, but proceed with caution. 

In 2023, we saw ChatGPT explode in popularity. Early adopters were quick to find ways it could help them save time on mundane, time-intensive tasks like planning their content calendars, whipping up a report, or coming up with captivating social post copy. 

In February, Spotify launched their alarmingly natural-sounding AI DJ, and many of our favorite social media publishing platforms integrated AI writing features to help users work through creative blocks and streamline their workflows. 

How can destination marketers jump on AI trends while staying true to that authenticity we mentioned above? Let your brand play with it. Tap into social media trends that help you showcase what AI thinks your destination includes and encourage your followers to discuss how close (or far) the results land from the real experience. 

social media tourism marketing

This hilarious article by Noms Magazine shows the many different ways they used AI to generate lego kits of iconic Vancouver locations, businesses, and themes.

And Myrtle Beach also tapped into AI last year with a cheeky Reddit campaign that showcased an AI-generated brand refresh and website, highlighting how AI can come close to reality but doesn’t always get things right.

social media tourism marketing

3. AI will also play an even bigger role in how social media content is delivered.

In 2023, we started seeing Facebook and Instagram shift how their feeds deliver content to users, prioritizing more recommended content than content from people they actively follow. This is good news for destinations, allowing them to more easily reach new social media users and increase their brand awareness organically where they might typically have to rely on paid ads. 

In 2024, we’ll likely see AI take even more control over what content is delivered to users to maximize their engagement with the platform–anything to keep them on the platforms for as long as possible. 

This means that the more content you have in the places people are spending the most time, the more likely people will have a chance to engage with it. And we know that the king of content right now is short-form video.

 alt=

2024 Trends Report: Marketing Trends and Predictions for DMOs

We surveyed destination marketers all over North America to find out how their 2024 strategies are shaping up. From platform shuffles to a creator economy in flux to the accelerating influence of AI, it’s clear that 2024 will demand not just tactical adjustments, but total evolution.

4. Short-form, UGC video continues to reign supreme.

In the travel industry, videos have long been an indispensable marketing tool. They show off destinations and hospitality businesses in their full glory. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that 75% of Instagram users take action after viewing a video ad.

“Consumers, on average, spend about 323 minutes per week watching video content, and that is on mobile phones alone,” said Mackenzie Bromley, the Director of Social Media at MMGY Global. 

We strongly encourage travel marketers to lean harder into short-form video content — and that doesn’t mean big budget productions. Again, short, user-generated videos appeal to travelers looking for an unfiltered view of the destinations and experiences they’re researching. And with AI-driven algorithms pushing content based on a user’s interests and engagements, you’ll want to make sure that your brand has the video library needed to be able to be delivered anytime the opportunity arises. 

5. Although they seem similar, each social media platform is still different and requires different strategies. 

“TikTok is not social media. It’s an entertainment platform,” said Beril Gutierrez, Senior Manager of Social Media at Discover The Palm Beaches . 

Gutierrez says that TikTokers spend an average of 61 minutes per day on the app, which is 50% higher than platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Brands on TikTok have the opportunity to see higher engagement rates and keep audiences glued to their phones with entertaining content, and Instagram is quickly evolving to follow suit with Reels, as you’ll read below. 

And it’s not all about Gen Z, either. About 23% of Gen X travelers have accounts on TikTok, so prepping a TikTok strategy for your destination could have a big payoff with multiple demographics itching to travel again. 

The bottom line? Your social media marketing strategy can’t ignore TikTok’s audience of two billion (and counting). But you also can’t deprioritize Reels or YouTube Shorts, either. 

If your state is experiencing government bans for TikTok, check out this blog post and our tips for working around them!  

Instagram Travel Trends

Instagram’s impact on travel is still undeniable: according to CNBCTV18 , a study by the World Tourism Organisation found that Instagram users are more likely to travel than non-users, and they are also more likely to spend more money on travel.

And “Instagrammable Places” is a popular search term for a reason: travelers love searching for that perfect vacation picture, whether a popular landmark or a hidden gem (that may not be so hidden after going viral)!

In terms of the platform itself, Instagram Reels are still having a moment: every Meta quarterly report shows Reels inching closer to a level playing field with its TikTok competitor, in both revenue and time spent on the app . Reels now boasts more than 200 billion plays per day across Instagram and Facebook, up from 140 billion in 2022. 

Whether it’s the continued reach of short-form video, the novel tools and features for content creation, or the engaged and relevant user base, destination marketers should be making Instagram their top social priority.

And as Instagram continues to morph from social network to bonafide entertainment and ecommerce app, expect to see more experimental launches and rapid feature changes. Already the app is phasing out Guides, unveiling week-long Stories , and testing personality-driven chatbots , and ramping up Threads. We’ll definitely be seeing more AI developments, some copied over from Facebook, and possibly others that are unique to Instagram.

Want to learn more about how to create IG Reels for your DMO that turn lookers into bookers? Check out our eBook.

TikTok Travel Trends

Iconic skylines and picture-perfect backdrops continue to trend: the destinations with the most hashtags on TikTok include Dubai, New York City, London, and Paris. “So, whether you’re looking for desert glamor or big-city energy, TikTok users have already scouted the hottest destinations to round off your 2023 or inspire your 2024 #vacation,” says Antoinette Turner , Flight Centre South Africa’s general manager.

IOL also reports that travel-adjacent trends can also have a big impact on the industry, such as the #RomanEmpire meme resulting in increased Google searches, #SoftHiking highlighting a gentle and accessible approach to hikes, and #VacationPrep beauty routines leading up to a holiday getaway. Destination marketers shouldn’t be scared to experiment with memes and hop on social trends as a way of boosting reach and engagement!

And while TikTok is mostly known for its bite-sized videos, experts have noted that the popular app now seems to be encouraging long-form videos, too — likely to compete with YouTube. By encouraging the longer vlog- and infotainment-style content that has thrived on YouTube, TikTok can increase video watch times and time on the app — and nurture way more ad placements. Short-form video isn’t going anywhere, but to show up in a changing algorithm, destination marketers should browse their library of clips to test different video lengths.

Last but not least, TikTok Shop also launched in September 2023 , allowing for a new ecommerce ecosystem including shoppable videos and a native shopping experience. We’ll keep our eyes peeled on how this new feature will transform viewers into consumers!

X (formerly known as Twitter)

According to our 2024 Trends report, only 3% of destination marketers think X will be the most buzzworthy social media channels in 2024, but very few are prioritizing it in their 2024 marketing plans. Our survey showed 66% of destination marketers wish they could drop this channel from their content mix altogether, and we agree it probably won’t hurt to focus your efforts elsewhere in 2024. 

Hootsuite’s Social Media Trends 2024 also reported a 7% decline in usage and “only a third of them feel strongly that it benefits their business”.

social media tourism marketing

6. More and more travel brands are working with content creators over influencer marketing 

73% of brands actively use influencer campaigns as a powerful arm of their marketing machine, and there’s no doubt that trend is here to stay. 

Often, we get stuck in the trap that expensive, big-name influencers = better ROI, but that’s not always the case. Micro-influencing can be just as…well, influential as working with content creators with a huge follower base. 

Partner up with content creators who have a unique POV that aligns with your mission, rather than a mega-influencer whose content casts a super-wide net (we’re biased, but our solution, CrowdRiff Creators , is a game changer in this department!). For example, want to highlight Indigenous lands and experiences within your destination? Partner with Indigenous content creators. Looking to showcase your destination’s food scene? Work with a foodie micro-influencer who already lives, breathes, and eats in your community. 

Your brand is more than just your owned channels. The best performing content is when content creators tag you in their content. 

7. Social media marketing analytics are more important than ever 

Year after year, the need for insightful analytics grows. At-a-glance dashboards can be overwhelming at first, but the exciting part about raw data is that, eventually, that data becomes a story. Here are a few things you should keep a pulse on when you’re looking at social media analytics: 

  • Engagement rate. How are people engaging with your content? Are they watching, commenting, saving, and sharing, or merely scrolling past? If you have a million followers but only 1,000 of them actually interact with your marketing, that’s not a great return on your effort. The average engagement rate for travel, hospitality, and leisure accounts is 1.73% according to Hootsuite . 
  • Reach & impressions. How many new eyeballs are your accounts reaching week over week or month over month, and is this number stagnant or growing? Short-form video for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok are the best way to reach new audiences on these platforms, which is why short-form video is critical in any content marketing strategy. 
  • Video views and video retention rates: Over the last few years, marketers have watched engagement rates drop year over year, despite audience growth. It seemed like fewer platform users were going out of their way to like, comment, and share content, and the platforms needed a new way to measure engagement. Thanks to Reels, TikToks, and Youtube Shorts, platform users are spending more time on the platform and engaging with content just by watching it. So while content actions might be falling, you’re still able to measure how captivating your content is using these metrics. And arguably, content consumption matters more for DMOs than content actions like likes, comments, and shares.

So to summarize, follower counts and engagement rates are only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to measuring your social media marketing performance. In order to get the whole story, you’ll want to consider all the metrics that are available on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube Shorts, especially short-form video performance. 

8. Tapping into current trending social media content will amplify your reach.

By now, you’ve likely encountered at least one trending Reel or TikTok template. In 2023, Barbie, Pedro Pascal, Taylor Swift, and cats ruled social media feeds, and brands that tapped into these trends were reaching audiences in new and creative ways. Trends like these sparked engagement and reached users in ways conventional posting is rarely able to. 

But tapping into social trends takes creativity and agility. The good news is, there are plenty of apps that are free or reasonably priced that provide trendy templates.  They make it easy to import your visuals, leverage the template, and then export your short-form video across your  social media channels.  

Want to find out how you can harness social trends in your destination’s marketing strategy? Check out our recent webinar about How Your Destination Can Tap Into Social Trends .

How Your Destination Can Tap Into Social Trends

Watch this webinar to find out how you can harness social trends in your destination’s marketing strategy. We share tips on how to quickly hop on a trend to make your social media performance pop, with fun examples from DMOs of all sizes.

Conclusion: What are the social media content trends in 2024?

There are dozens of touch points on social media that your digital marketing strategy can leverage to get people hyped about your destination — like entertaining videos on TikTok, or powering your paid ads with authentic UGC that makes potential travelers feel like they’re already there.

Some marketing trends have staying power, but remember: you know your audience better than anyone. Take inventory of your best performing social content in 2023 and use that as inspo while you’re prepping for 2024. 

To keep yourself on track and plan ahead, check out the content calendar template and let your creative juices flow! And if you want to go even deeper into the latest social media trends, check out our 2024 Trends Report here . 

We surveyed destination marketers all over North America to find out how their 2024 strategies are shaping up.

Related content

social media tourism marketing

How to Create a Travel Video That Gets Noticed in 2024

social media tourism marketing

What Type Of Travel Content Speaks The Loudest To Travelers?

social media tourism marketing

Social Media Video 101: A Travel Marketer’s Guide

A row of shiny Oscar statuettes

Oscar-Worthy Short-Form Videos in Travel Marketing

social media tourism marketing

Destination Branding: How To Give Your Destination A Distinct Voice

social media tourism marketing

A Travel Marketer’s Guide to UGC Rights

social media tourism marketing

Fuelling success: DMOs’ must-reads for 2024 planning

social media tourism marketing

Museum Marketing: Top Trends And Strategies for Success

social media tourism marketing

A New Vision for CrowdRiff, A New Era for DMOs

social media tourism marketing

Webinar Recap: How CrowdRiff Helps DMOs Stay Ahead of the Latest Short-Form Video Trends

social media tourism marketing

7 Ways Busy DMOs Can Use CrowdRiff to Work Smarter, Not Harder, This Summer

May 4th travel desintations

Take A Trip To A Galaxy Not So Far Away…

  • Open access
  • Published: 23 September 2023

Using social media marketing to pro-tourism behaviours: the mediating role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism

  • Zyad M. Alzaydi 1 &
  • Mohamed H. Elsharnouby   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9447-5717 2 , 3  

Future Business Journal volume  9 , Article number:  42 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

3162 Accesses

Metrics details

Social media has recently played a highly impactful role in communication. Specifically, these channels are vital and have a substantial influence on the attitudes, behavioural intentions, and actual behaviour of tourists. Previous research showed clearly that there is an increasing number of individuals who rely heavily on social media platforms for gathering information and gaining knowledge about various issues. The current research tries to show the impact of these platforms on citizens’—as individuals—attitudes and behaviours to support tourism activities. Specifically, the current study examines three research objectives: (1) The impact of social media marketing activities on pro-tourism behaviours. (2) The impact of social media marketing activities on both destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. (3) The mediation role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism in the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. We adapted the theory of uses and gratifications and the stimulus-organism-response framework in the current research, where social media marketing drives pro-tourism behaviours indirectly through both destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. A survey of 200 Albaha residents was conducted. We have used AMOS to check the constructs’ validity and reliability and Hayes’s PROCESS macro to test the mediation. The findings show that (1) Social media marketing activities help in explaining why city citizens positively behave towards tourism activities in their city; (2) Sequentially both destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism partially mediate the relationships between social media marketing and pro-tourism behaviours. The current study contributes to the existing research through the elucidation of why residents behave to support tourism in their countries by using social media marketing activities. In addition, it adds a number of professional insights. For example, the admins of destination social media platforms should increase their efforts towards providing presence, conversation, interactivity, and sharing on these platforms.

Introduction

The pandemic has significantly impacted global economies, e.g. [ 1 ]. The tourism sector has become highly sensitive to the impact of this pandemic [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. In other words, COVID-19 is widely recognised as a challenge or even a game-changer for travel and tourism [ 5 ]. The negative effects of the pandemic are obvious, but keywords with high relevance such as “sustainable tourism” represent the new development direction of tourism [ 2 ]. Residents are considered a proactive stakeholder group to co-create tourism products and services [ 6 ]. Pro-tourism behaviour is one of the key constructs related to the residents. It represents a behavioural dimension of resident attitudes towards tourism development [ 7 ]. Residents’ pro-tourism behavioural intention plays an important role in determining the sustainability or even success of a tourist destination [ 8 ]. Although understanding resident pro-tourism behaviour is critical, it is still a new research area [ 7 ].

The Internet, as a dynamic technology, is constantly evolving as users adopt and reject new features, devices, and applications and use them in ways that are often unexpected [ 9 ]. It promises broad-based changes to individuals and organisations that are profound to warrant the title of revolution [ 10 ]. The Internet is an easy and convenient way to communicate socially [ 11 ]. In other words, through the internet, information sharing and communication have become easier [ 10 ]. Electronic mail, commonly known as e-mail, is one of the most popular features of the Internet [ 12 ]. Besides, the dropping cost of communication has led to increased traffic and greater information access [ 10 ]. The Internet is central to the new media [ 9 ]. It has become recognised as a global channel where consumers can be targeted, and entities can both advertise and present commercial offerings [ 13 ].

Social media has recently been a highly impactful channel of communication in the modern times of digitised living [ 14 ]. Social media channels are vital in the contemporary period of time and have a substantial influence on the attitudes, behavioural intentions, and actual behaviour of tourists [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. For most firms, social media alters the ways of communicating with partners significantly [ 18 ]. Social media marketing is an essential part of twenty-first century business [ 19 ]. The media has changed the market dynamics and endangered the brands’ competitive positions. Brands have increasingly adopted social media for various marketing activities such as branding, customer relationship management, service provision, and sales promotion [ 20 ].

Digital marketing is very helpful in promoting tourism destinations, for example, digital marketing using social media [ 21 ]. The previous work highlighted the importance of social media and digital data in understanding the dynamics of tourism [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Social media is a widely used technology platform for sharing tourism information and experience, which motivates us to explore social media engagement more [ 25 ]. In other words, the pervasive impact of social media provides new opportunities to study residents’ attitudes to tourism since residents express their opinions and read about tourism development on social media [ 26 ]. The exchange of social media-based information for citizens and tourists is part of the practice-based solution for better sustainable tourism planning [ 27 ]. Although there has been a phenomenal growth in social media studies, that is not a new research topic [ 28 , 29 ], the previous research on social media marketing has little attention particularly related to pro-tourism [ 19 , 29 , 30 , 31 ]. In other words, despite the massive popularity of social media, research with a set of driving constructs along with indicators of social media regarding the changing attitudes and behaviours are lacking in the literature [ 15 , 16 ]. Few studies have been conducted to examine the use of social media by marketers, particularly in eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia [ 29 ]. In other words, although the use of social media has gained increasing importance as a component of brands’ portfolio strategies, scant research has systematically consolidated and extended knowledge on social media marketing strategies [ 43 ]. Specifically, whereas there has been an increasing academic interest related to social media in tourism, the existing literature is still in its infancy [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Little attention has been paid to the perceptions of social media from tourism providers’ perspectives, as most studies have addressed social media from a traveler’s point of view [ 32 , 35 ].

Preceding research proposed that destination attractiveness is one of the important determinant factors that could enhance tourism, particularly destination loyalty [ 36 ]. Besides, research on resident attitudes of tourism has become one of the most important areas of tourism [ 37 ]. In other words, since tourists significantly vary from residents in a demographic sense, the contact between them can subsequently shape residents’ behaviours and attitudes [ 38 ]. Despite the importance of residents’ attitude towards tourism impacts and development [ 39 ], little attention has been gained to examining residents’ attitudes in developing countries, especially at the inception stages when the support and involvement of the local community is vital to the success of tourism development efforts [ 40 ]. Attitudes towards tourism and support for tourism development have been prioritised “outcomes” in the tourism impacts literature [ 41 ]. Although satisfactory attention has been paid to residents' attitudes to tourism in previous studies, few research has used residents' attitudes to tourists and tourism simultaneously to explain their support for tourism [ 42 ].

To contribute to filling these research gaps, our research question is to what extent social media marketing activities motivate destination residents to positively (1) perceive high attractive destination, (2) form attitude towards the impacts of tourism, and (3) behave towards the destination tourism (pro-tourism behaviours). Thus, the current study examines the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. It also examines the relationships between social media marketing activities and both destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. Finally, it examines the mediation role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism in the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours.

The current study contributes to the existing research in different main ways: First, it elucidates why residents behave to support tourism in their countries by using social media marketing activities. The results fill research gaps, particularly in eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia [ 15 , 29 , 32 , 43 ]. In addition, it contributes to the literature by revealing the vital role of social media marketing activities in interpreting residents’ pro-tourism behaviours. Residents with high levels of social media participation about their cities/ destinations do more pro-tourism behaviours. Second, although considerable research has demonstrated the relationships between destination attractiveness and attitude, their roles in building pro-tourism behaviours are still limited [ 42 ]. This study adds to the emerging literature by demonstrating that attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism directly increases pro-tourism behaviours. A number of professional insights can be drawn based on this study's findings, which will advise marketers of social marketing platforms about the factors that improve residents’ pro-tourism behaviours. For example, as social media marketing activities facilitate effective ways of communicating with partners [ 19 ], the admins of social media platforms should increase their efforts towards providing presence, conversation, interactivity, and sharing on these platforms. Admins should improve these functions to enhance the perceived destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism and boost the pro-tourism behaviours. This may be possible by designing platforms such as Instagram and Facebook pages that deliver and focus on updated information about the sites and locations to enhance the residents’ preferences. The admins of these platforms should also focus on improving conversation functionality by replying to the comments of the fans on their Facebook and/or Instagram page(s). This means that the interactivity level on these platforms is high. Besides, using advanced technology, historical browsing behaviours can be adapted by organising the page’s content from a residents’ perspective to enable reading, commenting, and following the discussions on particular subjects of interest.

Theoretical background

The conceptual framework (Fig.  1 ) explicates potential antecedents of pro-tourism behaviours. The framework draws on theory of uses and gratifications theory [ 44 ]. Based on the theory, the individuals are actively and selectively involved in media (e.g. social media) usage to satisfy their psychological and social needs (e.g. perceived attractiveness and attitudes). In addition, the current conceptual framework is also based on the stimulus-organism-response (S–O–R) model proposed by Mehrabian and Russell [ 45 ]. The S–O–R model has been extensively employed in tourism [ 46 , 47 ]. It posits that environmental stimulus, such as joining social media platforms (S), elicits an emotional and attitudinal reactions (such as perceived destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism) from an organism (O), and these reactions trigger the corresponding behaviour response (R) such as pro-tourism behaviours. Whereby organism refers to the internal processes and outcomes of the stimulus, it normally plays a mediating role between stimulus and responses, e.g. [ 48 ]. Thus, the model hypothesises that social media marketing activities influence pro-tourism behaviours directly and indirectly through destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism.

figure 1

Research framework

  • Social media marketing

Social media refers to web-based applications that are used as a source of social interaction, collaboration, and creative expression [ 28 , 49 , 50 ]. The rise of social media has essentially altered the tourism industry, permitting both tourists and tourism providers to become the “media” themselves for communicating, collaborating, and sharing tourism-related information in the form of photos, videos, and stories [ 32 ]. The media gives brands a better platform to promote and build strong relationships with their consumers [ 29 , 51 ].

Social media marketing scope represents a range from defenders to explorers [ 19 ]. It refers to “the utilisation of social media technologies, channels, and software to create, communicate, deliver, and exchange offerings that have value for an organisation’s stakeholders” [ 52 ], p 19. Social media marketing also helps brands in improving their business activities and inducing them to invest more in digital marketing [ 53 ]. Previous studies developed models that are considered as important frameworks to help in understanding social media platforms [ 54 ]. Social media can be examined as a type of persuasion tool [ 18 ]. According to Khan and Jan’s [ 54 ] study, social media plays critical roles or functions such as identity, conversations, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups functions that help in developing social media user experience. Presence functionality represents the extent to which the user knows the others are present. Sharing functionality represents the extent to which the user exchanges, distributes, and receives content. Identity functionality shows the extent to which the user reveals themselves.

  • Destination attractiveness

Destination attractiveness reflects the excellences, feelings, beliefs, and sentiments of individuals (such as tourists) on the destination [ 55 ]. It refers to travelers’ perceptions about a destination and its aptitude to satisfy their needs and wants [ 56 ]. Destination attractiveness perceptions might be differed from one visitor to another and the purpose of the visit [ 57 ]. For instance, a destination might appeal to a visitor considering a honeymoon, nonetheless not appeal to their family summer holiday. However, the current research examines destination attractiveness from the residents’ perspective. Social media platforms have a significant impact on destination attractiveness [ 58 , 59 ]. Social media enhances the perceived attractiveness of decision markers [ 60 ]. Previous research confirmed that social media content is an influential factor in determining destination attractiveness [ 18 ]. The large information available on platforms can contribute to destination attractiveness [ 61 ]. Thus,

Social media marketing positively influences destination attractiveness.

  • Attitude to the positive impacts of tourism

Attitudes of residents towards tourism development and its influences aid as critically significant inputs in identifying the strategic and managerial priorities of tourism [ 62 ]. In other words, understanding resident attitudes towards tourism development allows government and practitioners to design favourable strategies for community development [ 63 ]. For example, when residents have strong positive attitudes towards tourism, it is likely that they are willing to co-create value with the visitors [ 64 ]. Attitudes towards tourism held by residents are influenced by a variety of individual and community or societal level factors [ 62 ]. Social media has increasing influences over public opinions [ 65 ]. Social media content can generate positive or negative attitudes of the destination [ 15 , 18 ]. The intangible benefits gained through interactions on social networking sites influence consumers’ attitudes towards those sites [ 66 ]. Thus,

Social media marketing positively influences attitude to the positive impacts of tourism.

  • Pro-tourism behaviours

Residents provide pro-tourism behaviours when they perceive that benefits are more than the costs [ 66 ]. Pro-tourism behaviours include participation in tourism development or recommendation and revisit intentions [ 67 ]. Social influences such as the destruction of living standards and conflict between residents had a significant influence on the support of tourism development of residents [ 66 ]. Social media enables interactive connections and collaborations with other stakeholders in the community such as destination residents [ 61 ]. The contribution of users to objects (e.g. tourism destinations) on social media platforms is described by the dimension of interaction [ 68 ]. In the context of tourism, they influence the behaviour of tourists and lead to choosing certain brand(s) and destinations and making travel-related decisions. A tourist information search has a strong impact on behavioural intention rather than the actual behaviour [ 16 ]. Thus,

Social media marketing positively influences pro-tourism behaviours.

Destination attractiveness plays a key factor in destination competitiveness and success [ 69 ]. Destination attractiveness has an impact on tourists' attitude [ 56 ]. The preceding studies show that residents’ perception of destination attractiveness is a key factor in understanding their behaviour towards tourism development [ 70 ]. Destination attractiveness has an impact on tourism development support of local people [ 66 ]. In other words, residents who have a positive perceived destination attractiveness possess pro-tourism behaviour [ 70 ]. Hence,

Destination attractiveness positively influences a) attitude to the positive impacts of tourism and b) pro-tourism behaviours.

The attitude of community stakeholders such as local people or residents is very important for sustainable tourism development [ 66 ]. Residents’ attitudes impact their support for tourism development. In other words, the positive attitudes lead to pro-tourism development behaviours [ 71 , 72 ]. Previous research showed the significant and strong direct effect of attitude towards tourism on support for tourism development [ 39 ]. Positive resident attitudes encourage a more welcoming and friendly destination [ 73 ]. Moreover, resident attitudes have the power to impact resident behaviour towards tourists, which affects tourism planning and development as well as a destination’s success or failure [ 42 , 74 ]. Thus,

Attitude to the positive impacts of tourism positively influences pro-tourism behaviours.

The mediating effect of destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism

According to the S–O–R paradigm, social media marketing activities can thus be treated as a social stimulus. Destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism are deemed to be the emotional and attitudinal reactions of the organism and pro-tourism behaviours. They are regarded as the behavioural response of the organism. In addition, whereby organism refers to the internal processes and outcomes of the stimulus, it normally plays a mediating role between stimulus and responses, e.g. [ 48 ]. In other words, since the S–O–R model suggests that the effects of stimuli on an individual’s response would be mediated by individual’s internal state, e.g. [ 76 ], we include destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism as the mediators in the current study. Preceding research has shown that social media marketing activities positively affected perceived attractiveness [ 18 ] and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism [ 65 ], destination attractiveness positively impacted pro-tourism behaviours [ 70 ], and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism positively impacted pro-tourism behaviours [ 39 ]. Furthermore, destination attitude mediated the relationship between destination attractiveness and destination attachment [ 56 ]. Destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism may therefore play a mediating role between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. Thus,

Destination attractiveness mediates the relationship between social media activities and pro-tourism behaviours.

Attitude to the positive impacts of tourism mediates the relationship between social media activities and pro-tourism behaviours.

Destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism mediate the relationship between social media activities and pro-tourism behaviours.

Methodology

We chose the quantitative approach to test the effects between the constructs under investigation. We used the questionnaire to collect the data. Before collecting the actual data, we conducted a pre-test study to make sure that all items are understandable and reflect the constructs under investigation.

Pre-test study

We recruited a professional translator to take part in this process and guarantee the reliability of the translated version [ 76 ]. We also chose two marketing professors and ten students to review the questionnaire and evaluate its face and content validity, resulting in minimal design and wording changes. Some examples were added to some scale items to improve these items’ clarity.

Sampling and actual data collection

The research population includes all the residents who live in Albaha City in Saudi Arabia. Since it was difficult to get a frame, a convenience non-probability sample was chosen for this study [ 77 ]. Two hundred fourteen completed questionnaires were collected between July–September 2021. The questionnaires have been collected online via a link, which was sent to people who live there. Fourteen questionnaires were dropped as the trapped questions were wrongly answered. The sample size is still acceptable since previous research used similar size in their studies and some of them stated that a sample size between 200 and 300 is recommended to produce sophisticated results and improve credibility and generalisability, e.g. [ 78 , 79 , 80 ]. The questionnaire starts with socio-demographic information. Table 1 shows the sample characteristics. Among the sample participants: 84% were male and 16% were female, 71% were younger than 30 years old, 19% were 30 to 39, 6%were 40 to 49, and 4% were older than 50 years. Afterwards, the survey adopted existing scales for the variables selected from the current literature.

Research context

The tourism context was chosen as the current research is part of a funded project to investigate how to enhance the tourism activities in Saudi Arabia, particularly Albaha destination. Tourism has become a strategic sector that contributes to the country developments. However, the country must exert great effort as tourism destinations have increasingly become competitive all over the world due to the diverse options the tourists have for travel. King Salman has developed a 2030 vision to make Saudi Arabia Kingdom a successful and pioneering model in the world at all levels/ sectors. One of these sectors is tourism. The current research is conducted to support achieving the vision’s goals. The current research will be applied on Albaha destination as an area of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom.

Construct measures

Social media marketing scale comprises seven dimensions, namely, identity functionality (3 items), conversation functionality (3 items), sharing functionality (4 items), presence functionality (3items), reputation functionality (3items), relationships functionality (3 items), and groups functionality (3 items) [ 54 ]. The destination attractiveness scale includes 9 items proposed by Hu and Ritchie [ 55 ], and Thach and Axinn (1994), cited in [ 81 ]. Attitude to the positive impacts of tourism and pro-tourism behaviours includes 8 and 5 items, respectively [ 82 ].

Data analysis and results

Instrument validation.

Table 2 shows the standard deviations and means of each construct. It also shows Cronbach’s alphas for all research constructs, which were greater than the recommended value (0.7) [ 83 ]. The variables were also evaluated for convergent and discriminant validity through the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using AMOS [ 84 , 85 ]. As shown in Table 2 for the remaining items, the unidimensionality of each construct and the measurement model was checked, based on Janssens et al.’s study [ 23 ]. It had a good fit ( X 2 (217) = 297.81 p  = 0.000; GFI = 0.89; NFI = 0.895; CFI = 0.968; TLI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.043; SRMR = 0.0423). Based on Fornell and Larcker’s [ 77 ] and Janssens et al.’s [ 87 ] studies, four criteria were used to evaluate the convergent validity of constructs’ items. All factor loadings’ estimates of the remaining items were above 0.5 (loadings ranged from 0.631 to 0.909). All of t -values > 1.96 (loadings ranged from 6.545 to 16.741 ( p  < 0. 001)), as shown in Table 2 . As Table 2 also indicates, all composite reliability (CRs) were above the recommended level of 0.7 except for the relationships functionality construct. However, it was very close (0.68) to the accepted level. All amount of variance (AVE) estimates were above the recommended level of 0.5, except for attitude to the positive impacts of tourism and pro-tourism behaviours constructs. However, they were very close (0.498 and 0.468, respectively) to the accepted level. All four criteria provided support of the constructs’ convergent validity. Discriminant validity was also evaluated. All square roots of AVE estimates on the diagonal were greater than the construct correlations with another factor, as shown in Table 3 . It provides evidence of discriminant validity for all research constructs.

Direct effect

Direct effect of social media marketing construct.

Empirical results in Table 4 show that while social media marketing construct influences destination attractiveness ( β  = 0.979, p  < 0.001) and pro-tourism behaviours ( β  = 0.287, p  < 0.01), it does not influence the attitude to the positive impacts of tourism ( β  = 0.139, p  > 0.05). Thus, hypotheses 1 and 3 are supported and hypothesis 2 is not supported.

Direct effect of destination attractiveness construct

Empirical results (as shown in Table 4 ) show that destination attractiveness influences the attitude to the positive impacts of tourism ( β  = 0.211, p  < 0.01). However, it does not influence pro-tourism behaviours ( β  = 0.061, p  > 0.05). These results provide support for hypothesis 4a that destination attractiveness enhances the attitude to the positive impacts of tourism but does not directly enhance the pro-tourism behaviours (hypothesis 4b is not supported).

Direct effect of the attitude to the positive impacts of tourism

Empirical results (as shown in Table 4 ) show that attitude to the positive impacts of tourism influences the pro-tourism behaviours, ( β  = 0.199, p  < 0.01). These results provide support for hypothesis 5 that the attitude to the positive impacts of tourism enhances the pro-tourism behaviours.

Indirect effect

The current research includes three mediating hypotheses (H6a, H6b, and H6c). To test the mediation, we followed Hayes’s PROCESS macro (Model 6) instructions [ 88 ]. Table 5 shows the statistical significance of the direct and indirect effects. The results were produced with the bootstrap procedure (5000 bootstraps) and the confidence interval (95%). For hypotheses 6a, and b, (as shown in Table 5 ), the bootstrap procedure generated (− 0.215 and 0.073), and (− 0.006 and 0.095), respectively, included (zero) for the indirect effect of (H6a) social media marketing activities on pro-tourism behaviours through destination attractiveness, and (H6b) social media marketing activities on pro-tourism behaviours through attitude to the positive impacts of tourism. Thus, both hypotheses are not supported. However, for hypothesis 6c, (as shown in Table 5 ), the bootstrap procedure generated did not include zero for the indirect effect of social media marketing activities on pro-tourism behaviours through destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism (0.006 and 0.085). After taking both destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism into account, the direct relationship between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours still became significant; the bootstrap procedure generated (0.164 and 0.427) did not include zero, showing partial mediation existence. Thus, hypothesis 6c is supported.

This research shows that social media marketing activities enhance destination attractiveness, ultimately leading to attitude to the positive impacts of tourism and pro-tourism behaviours, as shown in Fig.  2 .

figure 2

The direct and indirect effect results

The results indicate that social media marketing plays a positively significant role in influencing destination attractiveness. However, social media marketing does not play a direct significant role in shaping the residents’ attitudes to the positive impacts of tourism. These results are in line with preceding research that confirmed that social media platforms have a significant impact on perceived destination attractiveness [ 58 ]. In other words, social media content is an influential factor in determining destination attractiveness [ 18 ]. The large information available on platforms can contribute to destination attractiveness [ 61 ]. The results also show that social media marketing activities play an important role in improving pro-tourism behaviours. These results are consistent with previous studies [e.g. 30], which indicated that residents’ social media use is positively related to their support for tourism. In a similar vein, this is consistent with previous research [e.g., 60] that confirmed that social media enhances decision makers’ behaviours. Social influences such as destruction of living standards and conflict between residents had a significant influence on the support of tourism development of residents [ 66 ].

The direct influence of destination attractiveness on attitude to the positive impacts of tourism is confirmed. When residents perceive their communities or cities as attractive, they are more likely to create a positive attitude to the positive impacts of tourism. This result is in line with previous research [ 56 ]. Besides, the direct influence of attitude to the positive impacts of tourism on pro-tourism behaviours is also confirmed. This result is in line with previous research [ 30 , 39 , 72 ]. However, the direct influence of destination attractiveness on pro-tourism behaviours is not confirmed.

We also intended to extend the understanding of the mediating role of destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism in satisfying the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. The results show partial mediation existence of both destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism in the influence of social media marketing activities on pro-tourism behaviours. This means that pro-tourism behaviours might happen due to social media marketing activities, not necessarily destination attractiveness or attitude to the positive impacts of tourism. However, the indirect impact of social media marketing on pro-tourism behaviours should be through both destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism, respectively.

Conclusions

The current study examines the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. It also examines the relationships between social media marketing activities and both destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. Finally, it examines the mediation role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism in the relationships between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. This study contributes to the marketing literature and provides practical implications. The following sections highlight these contributions and implications.

Theoretical contributions

The current research advances the insights of tourism developments in different ways. First, on contrary to previous research that focused on tourists’ perspective, the current study contributes to residents’ behaviour to support tourism in their countries by using social media marketing activities from the resident’s perspective. The results fill the research gap that previous research showed that social media marketing has little attention media in tourism [ 32 , 33 ], particularly in eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia [ 15 , 19 , 29 , 43 ]. It also contributes to the literature by revealing the vital role of social media marketing activities in interpreting residents’ pro-tourism behaviours. Residents with high levels of social media participation about their cities/ destinations do more pro-tourism behaviours.

Second, preceding studies revealed the lack of knowledge in showing the relationships between destination attractiveness and attitude and their roles in building pro-tourism behaviours, [ 42 ]. This study adds to the emerging literature by demonstrating that attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism directly increases pro-tourism behaviours. Investigating these relationships shed light on how to shape the residents’ pro-tourism behaviours through destination attractiveness and attitude to the positive impacts of tourism. The results underline the importance of social media marketing activities as effective antecedents that enhance residents’ perceived destination attractiveness and improve their attitudes to the positive impacts of tourism. Thus, this research supplements preceding studies on enhancing residents’ perceived destination attractiveness and improving their attitudes to the positive impacts of tourism by introducing social media marketing activities as drivers of them. Third, this study is the first to investigate the mediating role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism in the linkage between social media marketing activities and pro-tourism behaviours. These mediators enhance the understanding of tourism development [ 41 , 67 ].

Practical implications

A number of practical implications are raised based on the current research findings, which guide marketers about social marketing platform-related factors that improve residents’ pro-tourism behaviours. First, as social media marketing activities facilitate effective ways of communicating with partners [ 19 ], the admins of social media platforms should increase their efforts towards providing presence, conversation, interactivity, and sharing on these platforms. Admins should improve these functions to enhance the perceived destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism and boost pro-tourism behaviours. This may be possible by designing platforms such as Instagram and Facebook pages that deliver and focus on updated information about sites and locations to enhance the residents’ preferences. The admins of these platforms should also focus on improving conversation functionality by replying to the comments of the fans on their Facebook and/or Instagram page(s). This means that the interactivity level on these platforms is high. Besides, using advanced technology, historical browsing behaviours can be adapted by organising the page’s content from a residents’ perspective to enable reading, commenting, and following the discussions on particular subjects of interest. Admins of social media platforms can also invite social media influencers on these pages or channels to interact with the residents and enhance their perceived attractiveness about the destinations they belong to. In addition, as social media use was found to influence residents’ support for tourism, it sheds new light on the significance of using social media to improve residents’ levels of support for tourism. For instance, relevant institutions and management of the destinations should create official accounts on popular social media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp). They should provide updated information every day on new news regarding that destination(s).

Second, according to our findings, the admins of social media platforms are advised to advance strategic and tactical initiatives that inspire and reinforce the attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. This may demand that the admins employ relationship activities to improve residents’ interaction on social media platforms such as online communities [ 20 ]. Our findings show that social media marketing activities that residents receive play a critical role in enhancing residents’ perceived attractiveness about the destination and creating the attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. Thus, admins are advised to post valuable content that emphasises destination values to enhance residents’ attitudes towards the positive impacts of tourism.

Third, the results provide a base on which admins can improve residents’ perceived attractiveness and attitudes and thus, develop the likelihood of experiencing pro-tourism behaviours from destination’s residents. Admins should explore how to build the greatest possible residents’ perceived attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism with the destination. To enhance the resident’s attitudes, for example, the government and institutions should adopt a benefit-sharing system and provide more job opportunities to the destination residents in order to ensure their appropriate rights and interests. In addition, Marketing should emphasise on activities linked with high conversation, interactivity, sharing, and relations that could build a highly perceived attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism on residents. For example, developing precise and pertinent content on social media platforms of the destination (e.g. sharing information about the new touristic activities of the destination; providing information of any enhancements of current services, activities, or promotion activities). Finally, the government and tourism institutions should allow residents to participate in decision-making processes connected to tourism planning and even serve as the main management personnel of the destination tourism corporate [ 30 ].

Limitations and future research

The current study reports essential antecedents of having residents who support tourism in their countries, though numerous limits exist. First, while the selected research approach to examine the hypotheses supports achieving the research objectives, different approaches and/or methods such as the experimental approach would improve the results' validity. Furthermore, although the use of point-in-time snapshot data is crucial in considering directional relations between the study constructs, they do not allow for causal explanations that could be recognised through using the longitudinal design (whether over short or long periods of time). Second, we selected tourism to represent the research context in general. However, the findings might deliver a confounded explanation since the tourism sector reflects diverse tourism categories such as domestic tourism, international tourism, business tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism, medical tourism, and wellness tourism. Thus, the research could employ specific types or conduct comparative research to show the differences. Assessing residents' attitudes and behaviours towards tourism types could be insightful. Finally, further study would examine the impact of advanced technological tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and generative tools in enhancing the interactions between residents and tourists on the destination’s social media platforms.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Stimulus–organism–response

Confirmatory factor analysis

Amount of variance

Composite reliability

Wang Q, Zhang F (2021) What does the China’s economic recovery after COVID-19 pandemic mean for the economic growth and energy consumption of other countries? J Clean Prod 295:126265

Article   Google Scholar  

Wang Q, Huang R (2021) The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sustainable development goals–a survey. Environ Res 202:111637

Bhatia A, Roy B, Kumar A (2022) A review of tourism sustainability in the era of Covid-19. J Stat Manag Syst 25(8):1871–1888

Google Scholar  

Chang CL, McAleer M, Ramos V (2020) A charter for sustainable tourism after COVID-19. Sustainability 12(9):3671

Higgins-Desbiolles F (2020) The “war over tourism”: challenges to sustainable tourism in the tourism academy after COVID-19. J Sustain Tour 29(4):551–569

Erul E, Woosnam KM, Ribeiro MA, Salazar J (2020) Complementing theories to explain emotional solidarity. J Sustain Tour. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1800718

Liu J, Lin H, Hu B, Zhou Z, Agyeiwaah E, Xu Y (2022) Advancing the understanding of the resident pro-tourism behavior scale: an integration of item response theory and classical test theory. J Bus Res 141:113–125

Shen K, Geng C, Su X (2019) Antecedents of residents’ pro-tourism behavioral intention: place image, place attachment, and attitude. Front Psychol 10:2349

Dutton WH, Blank G (2014) The emergence of next-generation internet users. IEEP 11:29–47

Feldman MP (2002) The Internet revolution and the geography of innovation. Int Soc Sci J 54(171):47–56

Jones S (2008) Internet goes to college: how students are living in the future with today’s technology. Diane Publishing, USA

Hillstrom K (2005) The internet revolution. Omnigraphics, Detroit

Giovannetti E, Kagami M, Tsuji M (2003) The internet revolution: a global perspective Cambridge University Press (Vol 66)

Dwivedi Y, Kapoor K, Chen H (2015) Social media marketing and advertising. Mark Rev 15(3):289–309

Alansari MT, Velikova N, Jai TMC (2018) Marketing effectiveness of hotel Twitter accounts: the case of Saudi Arabia. J Hosp Tour Technol 9(1):65–79

Javed M, Tučková Z, Jibril AB (2020) The role of social media on tourists’ behavior: An empirical analysis of millennials from the Czech Republic. Sustainability 12(18):7735

Rather RA (2021) Monitoring the impacts of tourism-based social media, risk perception and fear on tourist’s attitude and revisiting behaviour in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Issue Tour 24(23):3275–3283

Shu M, Scott N (2014) Influence of social media on Chinese students’ choice of an overseas study destination: an information adoption model perspective. J Travel Tour Mark 31(2):286–302

Felix R, Rauschnabel P, Hinsch C (2017) Elements of strategic social media marketing: a holistic framework. J Bus Res 70:118–126

Elsharnouby M, Mohsen J, Saeed O, Mahrous A (2021) Enhancing resilience to negative information in consumer-brand interaction: the mediating role of brand knowledge and involvement. J Res Interact Mark 16(3):329–345

Hartanto Y, Firmansyah MA, & Adhrianti L (2022) Implementation digital marketing pesona 88 curup in to build image for the decision of visit tourist attraction. In: 4th social and humanities research symposium (SoRes 2021) (pp 589–594). Atlantis Press

Giglio S, Bertacchini F, Bilotta E, Pantano P (2019) Using social media to identify tourism attractiveness in six Italian cities. Tour Manage 72:306–312

Peco-Torres F, Polo-Pena AI, Frias-Jamilena DM (2021) Brand personality in cultural tourism through social media. Tour Rev 76(1):164–183

Joo Y, Seok H, Nam Y (2020) The moderating effect of social media use on sustainable rural tourism: a theory of planned behavior model. Sustainability 12(10):4095

Paul I, Roy G (2023) Tourist’s engagement in eco-tourism: a review and research agenda. J Hosp Tour Manag 54:316–328

Nunkoo R, Gursoy D, Dwivedi YK (2023) Effects of social media on residents’ attitudes to tourism: conceptual framework and research propositions. J Sustain Tour 31(2):350–366

Vu H, Muskat B, Li G, Law R (2020) Improving the resident–tourist relationship in urban hotspots. J Sustain Tour 29(4):595–615

Al-Qaysi N, Mohamad-Nordin N, Al-Emran M (2020) A systematic review of social media acceptance from the perspective of educational and information systems theories and models. J Edu Comput Res 57(8):2085–2109

Sohail M, Hasan M, Sohail AF (2020) The impact of social media marketing on brand trust and brand loyalty: an Arab perspective. Int J Online Mark 10(1):15–31

Shen K, Yang J (2022) Residents’ support for Tourism Amidst the COVID-19 Era: an application of social amplification of risk framework and knowledge, attitudes, and practices theory. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19(6):3736

Ketter E, Avraham E (2021) # StayHome today so we can# TravelTomorrow: tourism destinations’ digital marketing strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic. J Travel Tour Mark 38(8):819–832

Canovi M, Pucciarelli F (2019) Social media marketing in wine tourism: winery owners’ perceptions. J Travel Tour Mark 36(6):653–664

Hudson S, Roth M, Madden T, Hudson R (2015) The effects of social media on emotions, brand relationship quality, and word of mouth: an empirical study of music festival attendees. Tour Manag 47:68–76

Nusair K (2020) Developing a comprehensive life cycle framework for social media research in hospitality and tourism: a bibliometric method 2002–2018. Int J Contemp Hosp Manag 32(3):1041–1066

Lu Y, Chen Z, Law R (2018) Mapping the progress of social media research in hospitality and tourism management from 2004 to 2014. J Travel Tour Mark 35(2):102–118

Nasira M, Mohamada M, Ab Ghania N, Afthanorhana A (2020) Testing mediation roles of place attachment and tourist satisfaction on destination attractiveness and destination loyalty relationship using phantom approach. Manag Sci Lett 10:443–454

McGehee N, Andereck K (2004) Factors predicting rural residents’ support of tourism. J Travel Res 43(2):131–140

Ward C, Berno T (2011) Beyond social exchange theory: attitudes toward tourists. Ann Tour Res 38(4):1556–1569

Gannon M, Rasoolimanesh S, Taheri B (2021) Assessing the mediating role of residents’ perceptions toward tourism development. J Travel Res 60(1):149–171

Teye V, Sirakaya E, Sönmez SF (2002) Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development. Ann Tour Res 29(3):668–688

Jordan E, Spencer D, Prayag G (2019) Tourism impacts, emotions, and stress. Ann Tour Res 75:213–226

Shen K, Yang J, Geng C (2021) How residents’ attitudes to tourists and tourism affect their pro-tourism behaviours: the moderating role of Chinese traditionality. Front Psychol 12:792324

Li F, Larimo J, Leonidou L (2021) Social media marketing strategy: definition, conceptualization, taxonomy, validation, and future agenda. J Acad Mark Sci 49(1):51–70

Katz E, Gurevitch M, Haas H (1973) On the use of mass media for important things. Am Sociol Rev 38:164–181

Mehrabian A, Russell J (1974) An approach to environmental psychology. The MIT Press

Rodríguez-Torrico P, Prodanova J, San-Martín S, Jimenez N (2020) The ideal companion: the role of mobile phone attachment in travel purchase intention. Curr Issue Tour 23(13):1659–1672

Yin J, Cheng Y, Bi Y, Ni Y (2020) Tourists perceived crowding and destination attractiveness: the moderating effects of perceived risk and experience quality. J Destin Mark Manag 18:100489

Emir A, Halim H, Hedre A, Abdullah D, Azmi A, Kamal SBM (2016) Factors influencing online hotel booking intention: a conceptual framework from stimulus-organism-response perspective. Int Acad Res J Bus Technol 2(2):129–134

Dabbagh N, Reo, R (2010) Back to the future: tracing the roots and learning. Web 2.0-based e-learning: applying social informatics for tertiary teaching. IGI Global 1.

Kaplan A, Haenlein M (2010) Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Bus Horiz 53(1):59–68

Elsharnouby MH, Jayawardhena C, Liu H, Elbedweihy AM (2022) Strengthening consumer–brand relationships through avatars. J Res Interact Mark (ahead-of-print), 1–21

Tuten T (2020) Social media marketing. Sage

Chatterjee S, Kar A (2020) Why do small and medium enterprises use social media marketing and what is the impact: empirical insights from India. Int J Inf Manag 53:102103

Khan JA (2019) A measure of social media marketing: scale development and validation. Jindal J Bus Res 8(2):158–168

Hu Y, Ritchie J (1993) Measuring destination attractiveness: a contextual approach. J Travel Res 32(2):25–34

Reitsamer B, Brunner-Sperdin A, Stokburger-Sauer N (2016) Destination attractiveness and destination attachment: the mediating role of tourists’ attitude. Tour Manag Perspect 19:93–101

Pike S, Pontes N, Kotsi F (2021) Stopover destination attractiveness: a quasi-experimental approach. J Destin Mark Manag 19:100514

Kim S, Lee K, Shin S, Yang S (2017) Effects of tourism information quality in social media on destination image formation: the case of Sina Weibo. Inform manag 54(6):687–702

Yadav M, Roychoudhury B (2019) Effect of trip mode on opinion about hotel aspects: a social media analysis approach. Int J Hosp Manag 80:155–165

Boivin M, Tanguay G (2019) Analysis of the determinants of urban tourism attractiveness: the case of Québec City and Bordeaux. J Destin Mark Manag 11:67–79

Del Vecchio P, Mele G, Ndou V, Secundo G (2018) Creating value from social big data: implications for smart tourism destinations. Inf Process Manage 54(5):847–860

Tatoglu E, Erdal F, Ozgur H, Azakli S (2002) Resident attitudes toward tourism impacts: the case of Kusadasi in Turkey. Int J Hosp Tour Adm 3(3):79–100

Murphy P, Pritchard M, Smith B (2000) The destination product and its impact on traveler perceptions. Tour Manag 21(1):43–52

Monterrubio C (2016) The impact of spring break behaviour: an integrated threat theory analysis of residents’ prejudice. Tour Manag 1(54):418–427

Fedeli G (2020) Fake news’ meets tourism: a proposed research agenda. Ann Tour Res 80:102684

Oh S, Lee S, Oh J (2018) Influence of Tourism development impact, Destination attractiveness and the support policy of tourism development on local stakeholder’s Tourism development attitudes. Int J Pure Appl Math 120(6):6159–6170

Dang L, Weiss J (2021) Evidence on the relationship between place attachment and behavioral intentions between 2010 and 2021: a systematic literature review. Sustainability 13(23):13138

Ebrahim RS (2020) The role of trust in understanding the impact of social media marketing on brand equity and brand loyalty. J Relationsh Mark 19(4):287–308

Mikulic J, Kresic D, Prebezac D et al (2016) Identifying drivers of destination attractiveness in a competitive environment: a comparison of approaches. J Destin Mark Manag 5(2):154–163

Nazneen S, Xu H, Ud DN (2021) Assessment of residents’ destination image and their pro-tourism development behaviour: perspectives on the China-Pakistan economic corridor. Tour Rev 76(1):184–197

Lee T (2013) Influence analysis of community resident support for sustainable tourism development. Tour Manag 34:37–46

Tournois L (2018) A pre-event assessment of residents’ reactions to Dubai expo 2020. Tour Manag 68:46–51

Chancellor C, Townson L, Duffy L (2021) Destination ambassador programs: building informed tourist friendly destinations. J Destin Mark Manag 21:100639

Bornhorst T, Ritchie J, Sheehan L (2010) Determinants of tourism success for DMOs and destinations: an empirical examination of stakeholders’ perspectives. Tour Manag 31(5):572–589

Yang X, Gu D, Wu J, Liang C, Ma Y, Li J (2021) Factors influencing health anxiety: the stimulus–organism–response model perspective. Internet Res 31(6):2033–2054

Mosaad M, AbouAish E, Elsharnouby MH (2022) The role of brand and fan personalities in building fan-brand relationships. Int J Cust Relationsh Mark Manag (IJCRMM) 13(1):1–21

Saunders M, Lewis P, Thornhill A (2009) Research methods for business students. Pearson, New York

Ahmed R, Philbin SP, Cheema FEA (2021) Systematic literature review of project manager’s leadership competencies. Eng Constr Archit Manag 28(1):1–30

Abdo MS, Ahmed SA, Awad BK, Elsharnouby MH (2023) Fostering green purchasing behavior: the moderated mediation role of customer disidentification. Manag Sustain Arab Rev 2(2):155–176

Novita D, Husna N (2020) The influence factors of consumer behavioral intention towards online food delivery services. TECHNOBIZ Int J Bus 3(2):40–42

Cheng T, Wu H, Huang L (2013) The influence of place attachment on the relationship between destination attractiveness and environmentally responsible behavior for island tourism in Penghu. Taiwan J Sustain Tour 21(8):1166–1187

Ribeiro M, Pinto P, Silva J, Woosnam K (2017) Residents’ attitudes and the adoption of pro-tourism behaviours: the case of developing island countries. Tour Manage 61:523–537

Nunnally J (1978) Psychometric methods. McGraw-Hill, New York

Suhr, DD (2006). Exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis? Stat Data Anal 1–17

Orçan F (2018) Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis: which one to use first? J Measurement Evaluation Edu Psychol 9(4):414–421

Fornell C, Larcker D (1981) Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. J Mark Res 18(1):39–50

Janssens W, Wijnen K, De Pelsmacker P, Kenhove V (2008) Marketing research with SPSS. Pearson, USA

Hayes A (2017) Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: a regression-based approach. Guilford publications, New York

Download references

Acknowledgements

Not applicable

University of Al-baha.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Faculty of Business Administration, Al-Baha University, P.O.Box 1988, Alaqiq, Al Bahah, Saudi Arabia

Zyad M. Alzaydi

Faculty of Business and Economics, Badr University in Cairo, P.O. Box 11829, Cairo, Egypt

Mohamed H. Elsharnouby

Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

ZMA developed the research framework, collected data, and was a major contributor to writing the manuscript. MHE co-developed the research framework, wrote the methodology section, and analysed the data. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohamed H. Elsharnouby .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Competing interests.

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Alzaydi, Z.M., Elsharnouby, M.H. Using social media marketing to pro-tourism behaviours: the mediating role of destination attractiveness and attitude towards the positive impacts of tourism. Futur Bus J 9 , 42 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-023-00220-5

Download citation

Received : 29 January 2023

Accepted : 14 June 2023

Published : 23 September 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-023-00220-5

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

social media tourism marketing

Positive and negative effects of Social Media on the Tourism industry

Marc Truyols

Social media tourism statistics

Importance of social media in the tourism industry, impact of social media on tourism, impact of social media influencers on tourism, negative effects of social media on the tourism industry, advances in social media for travel, tourism, and hospitality, examples of tourism social media campaigns.

The social media phenomenon has this incredible power to impact various industries . The tourism industry seems to be very susceptible to the effects of social media platforms . To what extent, though?

The travel industry is among the early adopters of new technologies and solutions . Social media networks enabled the sector to improve various processes and deliver better experiences to travelers worldwide.

Let’s see the most crucial social media tourism statistics , followed by the effects of social media on tourism , and some of the most noteworthy examples of social media use in the sector .

The relationship between social media platforms and the travel industry is best understood through relevant stats. Here are the most interesting social media tourism statistics. 

Statistics about social media in tourism

When it comes to travelers and social networks, it’s surprising to discover that almost 85% of millennials use someone else’s social posts when planning their vacations . Around 43% of them won’t go on a vacation if they can’t be sure that their followers can see their vacation posts , while 34% book a hotel because they saw it via user-generated content. 

People from all corners of the world keep using social media channels to talk about their travels. In fact, 74% of people who travel use social media while on vacation . During 2019, social media users kept generating a travel-related hashtag search volume of 1 million every week . 

According to recent research, social media became a vital part of tourism companies’ strategic operations during the pandemic, and consumption increased by 72% .  

Social media tourism statistics also reveal some interesting shifts in tourism marketing strategies pursued by travel agencies, hotels, travel agents, and OTAs. 

The travel industry continues to be the most engaging industry on Instagram, with an average engagement rate of 1.41% . The engagement rates on Twitter are 0.04%, TikTok 8.74%, and Facebook 0.27%. The spike in TikTok travel industry posts engagement indicates that this social media channel can provide very lucrative opportunities to the travel sector in the future. 

Representatives of tourism businesses use various marketing channels in their mix. However, the International Tourist Research Centers found out that 88% of tourism businesses actively use social media to promote destinations and offers and understand the attitudes of consumers. 

Paid ads continue to be the favorite social media marketing strategy for travel marketers, and the most attractive platform is Facebook . According to recent research, almost 80% of travel marketers use Facebook to launch paid ad campaigns to achieve a range of goals, from increasing awareness to boosting booking rates. 

With the above stats in mind, it’s pretty clear that social media is quite an important asset for the tourism sector. 

When it comes to the importance of social media in the tourism industry, we first have to acknowledge the opportunities social media platforms deliver to hotels, travel agents, agencies, and OTAs. The power of social media lies in the sheer number of people who use it daily:

  • Facebook has 2.93 billion monthly active users ;
  • Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users ;
  • Twitter has 290.5 million monthly active users ;
  • TikTok has 1 billion monthly active users .

Any business or individual involved in the tourism sector can create and use these social media platforms for free. They can create official profiles and use them to provide relevant information, answer users’ questions, or engage with users to create a large following. No wonder many marketers use social media to help hotels and travel agents increase visibility. 

More importantly, social media platforms offer paid marketing opportunities . They have access to a ridiculous amount of information on their users. It’s important because it enables travel marketers to launch comprehensive marketing strategies. The platforms have advanced targeting options allowing marketers to target very specific demographics.

Another important factor is engagement and interaction. Social media platforms are also communication channels. They also support the integration of AI and chatbots that travel companies can use to answer important questions or enable online booking. 

Finally, travel companies can use social media with social media analytics software . It can help them make sense of the data, measure KPIs such as engagement and click-through rate, and gauge followers’ sentiment.

Social media’s impact on tourism is huge . The best way to understand is to discover what people do before going on a trip. Social media helped create this environment where people are invited to research a tourist destination and share personal photos and videos. In other words, social media has completely changed the way people make travel decisions.

In fact, according to GlobalData, 30% of Gen Z and 32% of millennials see a direct engagement with a brand as the most important purchasing decision factor . The same report indicates that social media has also changed the best customer services paradigm. Travel companies now use social media channels to enhance customer service and offer availability 24/7/365.

Social media has also enabled travelers to do comprehensive research on destinations. An average traveler has 400 digital moments on average before making the booking decision, and almost 90% of those experiences are mobile experiences. 

One of the studies reveals that 27% of travelers make the initial decision to travel to a specific destination thanks to Facebook posts. 

Social media didn’t only transform how travel and hospitality companies market their offer but also how they interact with customers to facilitate direct bookings. A recent survey by GuestCentric discovered that 49% of hoteliers see social media as the second most important marketing and sales priority. We are talking about a 4.5% increase over one year.

Finally, we have reviews via social media. Travelers are four times more likely to choose a hotel with reviews higher than other hotels at the same price point. 76% of travelers are willing to spend more when booking a hotel if most reviews are positive and the score is high. 

More importantly, properties that responded to over 50% of the reviews posted via social media were able to boost occupancy rates by a staggering 6.4% . 

Influencer marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies. Influencers have become important for the tourism sector. However, they are still not as important as organic social media reviews and posts.

Authentic photos and videos have more value to travelers than paid and staged visuals influencers create and share. Almost 40% of people report that influencer photos and videos don’t impact their decisions when choosing a hotel or resort. 

However, one of the recent studies suggests that this might change in the foreseeable future as social media influencers have the potential to impact all stages of the travelers’ decision-making process, including:

  • Information search;
  • Evaluating alternatives;
  • Purchase decisions;
  • Satisfaction;
  • Experience sharing.

It partially applies to a tourism business interested in attracting young travelers. It appears that young travelers positively respond to social media influencers, specifically Instagram influencers . Influencers have the power to affect their followers’ intention to visit the places featured in their content.

At the same time, it’s equally important to consider how tourism positively impact and benefits local communities . Explore the synergy between tourism and community development in our focused piece, where we uncover the myriad ways tourism can be a force for local empowerment.

Beyond the significant impact of social media influencers on tourism, there’s a critical need for tourism businesses to craft travel experiences that remain etched in customers’ memories. Uncover effective strategies and practical tips to achieve this by delving into our comprehensive guide about customer journeys in the travel and tourism sector.

Social media doesn’t only have positive effects on the tourism industry. It also has the potential to negatively affect it. One of the biggest concerns for tourism brands is maintaining the brand image. However, as one comparative study finds out , negative interactions on the official social media posting can potentially hurt a travel brand’s image.

The problem with social media is that negative comments don’t only spread among the followers. Potential customers can see these comments and start to second-guess their decisions to travel with the company or book through it.

Finally, as we’ve all seen in the past, social media can negatively affect the tourism industry in one geographical location. The event that comes to mind is the Maldives tourist authority’s Twitter campaign idea . Instead of promoting the tourism industry, the campaign backfired, and the entire sector in the Maldives suffered.

The tourism and hospitality sectors didn’t become interested in leveraging social media only because of billions of people using it. It goes beyond destination marketing via paid ads and influencers. Over the last decade, there have been some significant advances in social media that benefit the entire travel industry.

Take Facebook, for instance. The platform has released a Marketing API , which travel companies can use to streamline advertising on Facebook. Additionally, companies can use Conversions API to enrich their internal marketing data with Facebook’s data. It helps them optimize ad targeting, run a cost-efficient operation, and achieve specific goals.

The advances helped make the Facebook ad platform one of the most comprehensive paid ads platforms online.

When it comes to promoting destinations to reflect modern travelers’ expectations, Instagram hit the sweet spot with the 2020 Reels update . Instagram users, including influencers, can create stunning 15-second videos to highlight some destinations, activities, or services. 

The best way to understand the power of social media is to look at some campaigns and the extent of their success.

#ArtsinLB – destination social media marketing

Long Beach arts and culture are among the main tourist attractions in this location. However, the city of Los Angeles managed to take center stage. To bring culture and arts back into the spotlight, Long Beach CVB decided to use social media influencers for every major social channel, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. 

ArtsinLB instagram post

The results were outstanding. The #ArtsinLB generated almost 2,000 unique posts, and the posts generated 38 million impressions . 

Visit Wiltshire – driving social engagement through the roof

Visit Wiltshire is a renowned tourism development organization. After receiving funding from the Discover England Fund, the organization decided to use a multi-channel marketing approach with social media as its central piece. 

The organization was mainly focused on building a social following on Facebook, creating content with engagement in mind.

The campaign lasted for six weeks, and the results were that audience reach increased by 125%, and social engagement actions increased by 156% . 

Discover Your South Africa – increase the number of visitors and considerations

South African Tourism is one of the leading organizations in Africa’s travel sector. The organization wanted to increase the number of visitors from Ireland and the UK. Social media platforms appeared to provide the best opportunities to promote destinations in South Africa to this specific demographic . 

Discover Your South Africa front cover

They created a sharable interactive quiz featuring Instagram-like square images. The campaign turned out to be a huge success – it reached 1.5 million UK and Irish users, and the bookings increased by 57% .

Beekman Tower – increasing click-through rates

Beekman Tower is a renowned Manhattan hotel and one of the top tourist attractions in this borough of New York City. The hotel wanted to keep attracting the valued guests while staying true to the modern-classic experience it offers. They decided to go for social media because the hotel market in this area is fast-paced, and competition is harsh. 

social media tourism marketing

The social media campaign targeted Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. After social listening and analysis, they created content that perfectly resonates with their target audience. Every post generated 3,000 impressions on average, but more importantly, posts generated 1,500 clicks on average . 

At this point, the ties between social media and the tourism industry have become inseparable. The impact of social media on tourism and hospitality is immense. Today we have tourism businesses of all sizes leveraging social media to increase awareness, engage with potential guests, and improve bookings. 

Given the current situation, it’s safe to assume that we will continue to see travel companies using social media to establish a better position in their target market. 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Yay you are now subscribed to our newsletter.

Marc Truyols

Marc Truyols has a degree in Tourism from the University of the Balearic Islands. Marc has extensive experience in the leisure, travel and tourism industry. His skills in negotiation, hotel management, customer service, sales and hotel management make him a strong business development professional in the travel industry.

Mize is the leading hotel booking optimization solution in the world. With over 170 partners using our fintech products, Mize creates new extra profit for the hotel booking industry using its fully automated proprietary technology and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue across its suite of products for its partners. Mize was founded in 2016 with its headquarters in Tel Aviv and offices worldwide.

Related Posts

Travel Niche

Travel Niche: What It Is, How to Leverage It, Case Studies & More

14 min. Niche travel is one of the few travel sectors that have maintained their pre-COVID market growth. By catering to specific traveler segments, niche travel developed products around adventure travel, eco-tourism, LGBTQ+ travel, and wellness retreats. Take adventure tourism as only one segment of the niche tourism market.  In 2021, it reached 288 billion […]

https://mize.tech/wp-admin/post.php?post=7224&action=edit&lang=en

4 Lessons You Can Learn From the Best Tourism Campaigns

13 min. Businesses in the tourism industry rely heavily on marketing to generate leads and boost conversion rates. Tourism marketing is as old as tourism itself – and it always reflects the destination and service benefits relevant to the current travelers’ needs, wants, and expectations. In other words, tourism campaigns must constantly move forward, and […]

Market segmentation in the travel industry

The Vital Role of Market Segmentation in the Tourism Industry

15 min. The tourism industry is an ever-growing and competitive landscape, presenting both challenges and opportunities for businesses operating within it. This is where market segmentation comes in handy. In this blog post, we will discuss what market segmentation is, the importance of market segmentation in the tourism industry, and how online travel agencies can […]

Book cover

International Conference on Business and Technology

ICBT 2023: Technology and Business Model Innovation: Challenges and Opportunities pp 141–156 Cite as

Co-creation in Tourism Marketing Before and After the Advent of Social Media

  • N. Sneha   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2782-1805 11 ,
  • Ajai Abraham Thomas   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4619-136X 11 &
  • Jaspreet Kaur   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1873-6369 12  
  • Conference paper
  • First Online: 17 March 2024

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems ((LNNS,volume 924))

Tourism service providers have historically utilized Self-Generated Content (SGC) throughout history to promote their products through traditional media. However, with the advent of social media in the past decade, marketers have shifted their preferences to user-generated content (UGC) over SGC, which positively impacts organizational performance. Prior to the emergence of social media, marketers created innovative marketing strategies through marketing mix elements. This approach known as “co-creation” has garnered attention from both marketers and academia. Social media is an excellent platform for attracting stakeholders to participate in co-creation. While there is growing interest in using social media in tourism marketing and its benefits, there is limited understanding of the development and issues of social media marketing (SMM) through co-creation. This study aims to fill this research gap by comparing co-creation scenarios before and after the implementation of SMM in tourism, using a narrative literature review and exploratory research design. The paper discusses the key dimensions of tourism marketing through co-creation, including the types of stakeholders and the impact of social media on business performance.

The study suggests that marketers should strengthen co-creation processes in social media marketing to benefit tourism service providers. The study’s main finding indicates that co-created social media marketing positively impacts the performance of tourism businesses, but this relationship can be hindered by various crises at any given time. To address this, a framework was developed with co-creation as the guiding principle, which serves as a conceptual foundation for future research and is relevant for designing, marketing, and engaging in smart tourism marketing.

  • Conventional marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Tourism businesses
  • Co-creation
  • Tourism service providers
  • Integrated conceptual framework
  • Stakeholder marketing
  • Performance

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Akehurst, G.: User generated content: the use of blogs for tourism organisations and tourism consumers. Serv. Bus. 3 (1), 51–61 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-008-0054-2

Article   Google Scholar  

Arbabi, F., Khansari, S.M., Salamzadeh, A., Gholampour, A., Ebrahimi, P., Fekete-Farkas, M.: Social networks marketing, value co-creation, and consumer purchase behavior: combining PLS-SEM and NCA (2022). https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/10/440

Ayanso, A., Lertwachara, K.: Harnessing the Power of Social Media and Web Analytics (2014). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5194-4

Barger, V., Peltier, J., Schultz, D.: Social media and consumer engagement: a review and research agenda. J. Res. Interact. Mark. 10 , 268–287 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-06-2016-0065

Brey, E.T.: Co-creating value from social media: a framework. J. Creating Value 5 (2), 222–236 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1177/2394964319869054

Bruner, G.C.: The marketing mix: a retrospection and evaluation. J. Mark. Educ. 10 (1), 29–33 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1177/027347538801000104

Article   MathSciNet   Google Scholar  

Buhalis, D., Foerste, M.: SoCoMo marketing for travel and tourism: empowering co-creation of value. J. Destin. Mark. Manag. 4 (3), 151-161 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.04.001

Buskirk, E.V.: Gaming the system: how marketers rig the social media machine. Wired (2010). https://www.wired.com/2010/07/gaming-the-system-how-marketers-rig-the-social-media-machine/

Cardona-Smits, K.: Co-creation: the secret sauce for service design success. Forrester (2021). https://www.forrester.com/blogs/service-designs-co-creation-principle-the-secret-sauce-for-success/

Charness, N., Boot, W.R.: Chapter 20—Technology, gaming, and social networking. In: Schaie, K.W., Willis, S.L., (Eds.), Handbook of the Psychology of Aging (Eighth Edition), pp. 389–407. Academic Press (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-411469-2.00020-0

Chen, S.-C., Lin, C.-P.: Understanding the effect of social media marketing activities: the mediation of social identification, perceived value, and satisfaction. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change 140 , 22–32 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.11.025

Cheung, M.L., Pires, G., Rosenberger, P.J., III., Leung, W.K.S., Chang, M.K.: The role of social media elements in driving co-creation and engagement. Asia Pac. J. Mark. Logist. 33 (10), 1994–2018 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-03-2020-0176

Chiguvi, D.: Effectiveness of traditional and digital advertising platforms for the marketing of tourism. Int. J. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci. 11 (10), (2147–4478), Article 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i10.2141

Christou, E., Sigala, M., Gretzel, U.: Social media in travel, tourism and hospitality. Theory, Practice and Cases (2012). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315609515

Correia, A.: Social information: gaining competitive and business advantage using social media tools. Online Inf. Rev. 37 (1), 151–152 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521311311720

Dolan, R., Seo, Y., Kemper, J.: Complaining practices on social media in tourism: a value co-creation and co-destruction perspective. Tourism Manag. 73 , 35–45. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.01.017

Dominici, G.: From marketing mix to e-marketing mix: a literature overview and classification (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 1961974) (2009). https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1961974

Dunbar, N.: Incorporating service design into content marketing and strategy. ClearVoice Blog (2020). https://www.clearvoice.com/blog/service-design-content-marketing/

Eraqi, M.I.: Co-creation and the new marketing mix as an innovative approach for enhancing tourism industry competitiveness in Egypt. Int. J. Serv. Oper. Manage. 8 (1), 76–91 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSOM.2011.037441

Evans, D., McKee, J., Bratton, S.: Social Media Marketing: The Next Generation of Business Engagement. Wiley.Com (2010). https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Social+Media+Marketing%3A+The+Next+Generation+of+Business+Engagement-p-9780470634035

Gibbons, S.: Service Design 101. Nielsen Norman Group (2017). https://www.nngroup.com/articles/service-design-101/

Gligorijevic, B.: Review Platforms in Destinations and Hospitality, pp. 215–228 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54089-9_15

Gronroos, C.: In Search of a New Logic for Marketing: Foundations of Contemporary Theory. Wiley.Com (2008). https://www.wiley.com/en-us/In+Search+of+a+New+Logic+for+Marketing%3A+Foundations+of+Contemporary+Theory-p-9780470061299

Hillebrand, B., Driessen, P.H., Koll, O.: Stakeholder marketing: theoretical foundations and required capabilities. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 43 (4), 411–428 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-015-0424-y

Huang, S., Choi, H.-S.C.: Developing and validating a multidimensional tourist engagement scale (TES). Serv. Ind. J. 39 (7–8), 469–497 (2019). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2019.1576641

Google Scholar  

Hult, G.T.M., Mena, J.A., Ferrell, O.C., Ferrell, L.: Stakeholder marketing: a definition and conceptual framework. AMS Rev. 1 (1), 44–65 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13162-011-0002-5

Hussin, R.M., Putit, L., Subramaniam, G.: Social media as an open innovation: deciphering its relationship with firm performance, compatibility, and security concern. In: Rafiki, A., Dana, LP., Nasution, M.D.T.P. (eds) Open Innovation in Small Business. Contributions to Environmental Sciences and Innovative Business Technology. Springer, Singapore (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5142-0_6

Hussein, R.S., Mohamed, H., Kais, A.: Antecedents of level of social media use: exploring the mediating effect of usefulness, attitude and satisfaction. J. Mark. Commun. 28 (7), 703–724 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2021.1936125

Ingenbleek, P.T.M., Immink, V.M.: Managing conflicting stakeholder interests: an exploratory case analysis of the formulation of corporate social responsibility standards in the Netherlands. J. Public Policy Mark. 29 (1), 52–65 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.29.1.52

Jetter, L.G., Chen, R.J.C.: An exploratory investigation of knowledge sharing and cooperative marketing in tourism alliances (2008). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15256480.2012.669314

Katsikari, C., et al.: Push and pull travel motivation: segmentation of the greek market for social media marketing in tourism. Sustainability, 12 (11), 4770 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114770

Keegan, B., Rowley, J.: Co-creation in social media marketing strategy: re-evaluating the agency-client relationship, an extended abstract. In P. Rossi (Ed.), Marketing at the Confluence between Entertainment and Analytics (pp. 1331–1335). Springer International Publishing (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47331-4_262

Kian Yeik, K., Teoh, C.W., Soh, P.: Instagram influencer marketing: perceived social media marketing activities and online impulse buying. First Monday (2021). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v26i9.11598

Kirtiş, A., Karahan, F.: To be or not to be in social media arena as the most cost-efficient marketing strategy after the global recession. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 24 , 260–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.083

Kotler, P.: A generic concept of marketing. J. Mark. 36 (2), 46–54 (1972). https://doi.org/10.2307/1250977

Kumar, V., Choi, J.B. Greene, M.: Synergistic effects of social media and traditional marketing on brand sales: capturing the time-varying effects. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 45 (2), 268–288 (2017)

Lam, J.M.S., Ismail, H., Lee, S.: From desktop to destination: user-generated content platforms, co-created online experiences, destination image and satisfaction. J. Destin. Mark. Manag. 18 , 100490 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2020.100490

Lim, W.M., Rasul, T.: Customer engagement and social media: revisiting the past to inform the future. J. Bus. Res. 148 , 325–342 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.068

Lusch, R.F., Vargo, S.L.: Service-dominant logic: a necessary step. Eur. J. Mark. 45 (7/8), 1298–1309 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561111137723

Lusch, R.F., Webster, F.E.: A stakeholder-unifying, co-creation philosophy for marketing (2011). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0276146710397369

Lynn Shostack, G.: How to design a service. Eur. J. Mark. 16 (1), 49–63 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004799

Mele, C., Spena, R.T., Tregua, M., Pels, J.: A value-based well-being framework (2023). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/02761467221105190

Mladenović, D., Dolonec, S.: Theoretical overview of social media-value (co)creation bond (2016). https://www.muni.cz/en/research/publications/1358108

Moorman, C., Ryan, M., Tavassoli, N.: Why marketers are returning to traditional advertising. Harvard Business Review (2022). https://hbr.org/2022/04/why-marketers-are-returning-to-traditional-advertising

More, A.B.: Implementing digital age experience marketing to make customer relations more sustainable. In: Nayyar, A., Naved, M., Rameshwar, R. (eds) NewHorizons for Industry 4.0 in Modern Business. Contributions to Environmental Sciences and Innovative Business Technology. Springer, Cham (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20443-2_5

Nasution, M.D.T.P., Sari, P.B., Aspan, H., Rossanty, Y.: Unpacking the potential of crowdsourcing via social media to foster new product development among small and medium-sized enterprises. In: Rafiki, A., Dana, LP., Nasution, M.D.T.P. (eds) Open Innovation in Small Business. Contributions to Environmental Sciences and Innovative Business Technology. Springer, Singapore (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5142-0_9

Nistor, G.: An extended technology acceptance model for marketing strategies in social media. Rev. Econ. Bus. Stud. 12 , 127–136 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1515/rebs-2019-0086

Novani, S., Kijima, K.: Value co-creation by customer-to-customer communication: social media and face-to-face for case of airline service selection. J. Service Sci. and Manag. 05 (2012). https://doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2012.51013

Orîndaru, A., Popescu, M.-F., Alexoaei, A. P., Căescu, Ştefan-C., Florescu, M. S., Orzan, A.-O.: Tourism in a Post-COVID-19 Era: sustainable strategies for industry’s recovery. Sustainability 13 (12), Article 12 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126781

Payne, A.F., Storbacka, K., Frow, P.: Managing the co-creation of value. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 36 (1), 83–96 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-007-0070-0

Peattie, K., Peters, L.: The marketing mix in the third age of computing. Emerald Insight (1997). https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/02634509710165948/full/html

Perreault, W.D., McCarthy, E.J.: Basic marketing: a global managerial approach (2002)

Pham, L.H., Woyo, E., Pham, T.H., Truong, D.T.X.: Value co-creation and destination brand equity: understanding the role of social commerce information sharing. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print) (2022). https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0123

Pohjola, T., Lemmetyinen, A., Dimitrovski, D.: Value co-creation in dynamic networks and e-tourism. In: Xiang, Z., Fuchs, M., Gretzel, U., Höpken, W., (Eds.) Handbook of e-Tourism, pp. 1565–1587. Springer International Publishing (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48652-5_92

Prahalad, C. K., Ramaswamy, V.: Co-opting customer competence. Harvard business review (2000). https://hbr.org/2000/01/co-opting-customer-competence

Prahalad, C.K., Ramaswamy, V.: Co-creating unique value with customers| Emerald Insight (2004). https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/10878570410699249/full/html

Prasanna Kumar, U., Arthi, R.: A study on utility and feasibility of digital marketing tools with lead acquisition, lead nurturing and client engagement. In: Aloysius Edward, J., Jaheer Mukthar, K.P., Asis, E.R., Sivasubramanian, K. (eds) Current Trends in Economics, Business and Sustainability. ICEBS 2023. Contributions to Environmental Sciences and Innovative Business Technology. Springer, Singapore (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3366-2_24

Rashid, Y., Waseem, A., Akbar, A.A., Azam, F.: Value co-creation and social media: a systematic literature review using citation and thematic analysis | Emerald Insight (2019). https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EBR-05-2018-0106/full/html

Roser, T., Defillippi, R., Samson, A.: Managing your co-creation mix: co-creation ventures in distinctive contexts. Eur. Bus. Rev. 25 . https://doi.org/10.1108/09555341311287727

Sahni, H.: What is traditional marketing? An overview with channels, types, and examples - smemark - content marketing agency and blog (2023). https://smemark.com/what-traditional-marketing/

Sangiorgi, D.: Building up a framework for service design research. In: Proceedings of the 8th European Academy of Design International Conference (2009)

Santos-Vijande, M.L., Álvarez, B., Rodríguez, N.: Internal marketing as a driver of market orientation and co-creation culture in the tourism sector (2023)

Sawhney, M., Verona, G., Prandelli, E.: Collaborating to create: the Internet as a platform for customer engagement in product innovation. J. Interact. Mark. 19 (4), 4–17 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.20046

Schultz, D.E., Peltier, J.: Social media’s slippery slope: challenges, opportunities and future research directions. J. Res. Interact. Mark. 7 (2), 86–99 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-12-2012-0054

See-To, E., Ho, K.: Value co-creation and purchase intention in social network sites: the role of electronic word-of-mouth and trust - a theoretical analysis. Comput. Hum. Behav. 31 , 182–189 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.013

Sneha, N., George, B.: Social media in tourism: challenges and corrective measures. In: Evolving paradigms tourism hospitality developing countries (1st ed., pp. 517–528). Apple Academic Press (2018). https://doi.org/10.1201/b22319-38

Terblanche, N.: Some theoretical perspectives of co-creation and co-production of value by customers. Acta Commercii, 14 (2014). https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v14i2.237

Tussyadiah, I., Zach, F.: Social media strategy and capacity for consumer co-creation among destination marketing organizations (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36309-2_21

Vargo, S.L., Lusch, R.F.: Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. J. Mark. 68 , 1–17 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.68.1.1.24036

Vargo, S., Maglio, P., Akaka, M.: On value and value co-creation: a service systems and service logic perspective. Eur. Manag. J. 26 , 145–152 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2008.04.003

Vargo, S.L., Lusch, R.F.: Service-dominant logic: continuing the evolution. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 36 (1), 1–10 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-007-0069-6

What is Co-creation? (n.d.). The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved 12 December 2022. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/co-creation

White, B.: Traditional Marketing is Back. Trust Us. Moroch Partners (2022). https://moroch.com/traditional-marketing-is-back-trust-us/

Xiang, Z., Gretzel, U.: Role of social media in online travel information search. Tourism Manage. 15 (2), 179–188 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.016

Yudelson, J.: Adapting Mccarthy’s Four P’s for the twenty-first century. J. Mark. Educ. 21 (1), 60–67 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1177/0273475399211008

Zwass, V.: Co-creation: toward a taxonomy and an integrated research perspective: Int. J. Electron. Commerce 15 (1) (2014). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JEC1086-4415150101

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Professional Management Studies, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560077, India

N. Sneha & Ajai Abraham Thomas

Department of Management, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560077, India

Jaspreet Kaur

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. Sneha .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Middle East Technical University, Northern Cyprus Campus, Güzelyurt, Kallanli, KKTC, Türkiye

Bahaaeddin Alareeni

College of Business of Finance, Ahlia University, Manama, Bahrain

Allam Hamdan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Cite this paper.

Sneha, N., Thomas, A.A., Kaur, J. (2024). Co-creation in Tourism Marketing Before and After the Advent of Social Media. In: Alareeni, B., Hamdan, A. (eds) Technology and Business Model Innovation: Challenges and Opportunities. ICBT 2023. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 924. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-53998-5_12

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-53998-5_12

Published : 17 March 2024

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-031-53997-8

Online ISBN : 978-3-031-53998-5

eBook Packages : Engineering Engineering (R0)

Share this paper

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Publish with us

Policies and ethics

  • Find a journal
  • Track your research

IMAGES

  1. Destination Marketing: A Guide to Social Media

    social media tourism marketing

  2. Tourism Marketing in the Time of Social Media: Why It Works

    social media tourism marketing

  3. How Social Media Has Transformed Tourism

    social media tourism marketing

  4. 10 Top Social Media Marketing Ideas for Travel Brands

    social media tourism marketing

  5. 3 Examples of Using Social Media For Tourism Marketing via @RigniteInc

    social media tourism marketing

  6. How to Leverage Social Media in Tourism Marketing

    social media tourism marketing

COMMENTS

  1. The Role of Social Media in Tourism Marketing

    Best Social Media Channels for Tourism Marketing . As in any other industry, Big Three of the social media -Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been the leader in the tourism industry as well. Even though these channels have their own audience, travel is among the most shared topics on all of them.

  2. The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Strategy for Tourism

    Boost brand engagement: Social media is a great place to connect and communicate with your guests. By delivering quality content and writing compelling captions, you can encourage them to share their thoughts and stories. Just remember that engagement is a two-way street — so make sure to respond.

  3. The Role of Social Media in Tourism Marketing

    Tourism marketers often encourage the sharing of user experiences to leverage word-of-mouth marketing. Real-Time Marketing Opportunities: Social media enables real-time marketing, allowing tourism marketers to capitalize on current trends, events, or discussions. For instance, if a destination becomes popular due to a viral video or a celebrity ...

  4. Social Media Marketing Strategy for Tourism

    Dash Hudson For Your Tourism Strategy. Stunning visuals are a huge factor in travel — 37% of travelers in the United States used their mobile phones to find travel inspiration on social media. To make your tourism marketing as impactful as possible, brands should use a combination of compelling images and videos to entice users.

  5. The Vital Role of Social Media in Tourism Marketing

    As a tour operator, social media marketing is an effective way to increase brand awareness. By creating and maintaining an active social media presence, tour operators can reach a wider audience and increase their visibility in the market. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn allow tour operators to showcase ...

  6. Social Media Marketing in Tourism: 6 Ways to Drive Success

    Explore our best practices for social media marketing in tourism. Discover how travel companies can engage users and attract new customers. As the world begins to bounce back from the effects of COVID-19, people are itching to get on a plane, a train, a car, a bicycle—anything that will take them someplace new and exciting.

  7. What do we know about social media in tourism? A review

    Research into social media in tourism might find new interests in four main directions: community engagement, comprehensive marketing strategies, differentiated destination management, and the legal and ethical issues arising from using social media in tourism. Social media in tourism research will have to deal with the issues associated with ...

  8. Social Media in Tourism and Hospitality: A Literature Review

    Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing Volume 30, 2013 - Issue 1-2: Social Media. Submit an article Journal homepage. 57,433 Views 778 ... Research findings thoroughly demonstrate the strategic importance of social media for tourism competitiveness. This study also contributes to the academia and industry by identifying some research voids in ...

  9. Social Media and Destination Branding in Tourism: A Systematic Review

    The fact is that articles on the destinations branding and social media are usually published in specialized journals in the fields of tourism and/or marketing. Unsurprisingly, the Journal of Destination Marketing & Management is the lead journal in terms of the number of articles published on destination branding in social media.

  10. Social media and tourism: creating a social media marketing plan

    Social media has meant a change in the way we understand tourism, both for users and companies. Trends on social media set the path and companies are required t o revise their marketing strategies so that they are present on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The numbers don't lie; there are 4.2 billion social media users around the world and ...

  11. Social Media Marketing in Tourism and Hospitality

    Examines the impact of social media on consumer behavior and company strategies. Provides a literature review on social media research in tourism. Analyses social media metrics for the tourism sector. Follows an approach that combines theory and practice. Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

  12. (PDF) Tourism and Social Media

    Abstract. Social media have penetrated all aspects of tourism and have led to fundamental changes in the way tourism experiences are planned, consumed, evaluated and marketed. This chapter ...

  13. Digital Marketing in Tourism

    Tourism businesses use social media in their digital marketing strategies for reaching and interacting with customers, building brand loyalty, and advertising. ... Therefore, social media marketing has become an integral part of a company's marketing strategy (Hvass and Munar 2012). Mobile marketing communications and technologies enabled ...

  14. What's the Social Media Impact on Tourism?

    The role of social media in tourism marketing. Social Media is the virtual equivalent of sitting around a campfire and sharing stories - acting as a hub for sharing photos, meant to inspire others to experience the same thing for themselves. As a snapshot or highlight reel of best moments, social media is a powerful marketing tool for tour ...

  15. The roles of social media in tourists' choices of travel components

    The influence of social media on travel decision-making has attracted much attention from tourism scholars. A recent literature analysis has suggested that most of such studies have focused on the impact of social media on behavioural intention with very limited studies on actual behaviour (Leung et al., 2019).Furthermore, relatively little insight has been put on the roles of social media in ...

  16. How does social media impact the travel industry?

    Another pre-pandemic figure reported by Statista revealed that over a third of people use social media for travel inspiration and ideas, with 60 percent sharing their own content from holidays or ...

  17. 5 Powerful Ways Social Media Marketing Strategy for Tourism

    Make use of Popular Platforms and Networks. Some of the most popular social media platforms for tourism marketing include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest. These platforms allow businesses to share information about their products or services with potential customers worldwide.

  18. Tourist behaviour: The role of digital marketing and social media

    Through digital marketing and strategies, tourists can find destination images and tour information, which influence their behaviours ( Khan et al., 2022 ). Social media sites have become web-based platforms for individuals to interact, share information online and exchange ideas (see Islam, 2021; Javed et al., 2020 ).

  19. 8 Social Media Trends Destination Marketers Need To Know in 2024

    Here are a few of the latest social media trends and high-performing favorites worth doubling down on. 1. User-generated storytelling trumps traditional advertising. Travelers can sense when something isn't authentic, especially in our hyper-connected world where user photos, reviews, and hashtags are pre-baked into the travel planning process.

  20. Using social media marketing to pro-tourism behaviours: the mediating

    Social media marketing. Social media refers to web-based applications that are used as a source of social interaction, collaboration, and creative expression [28, 49, 50].The rise of social media has essentially altered the tourism industry, permitting both tourists and tourism providers to become the "media" themselves for communicating, collaborating, and sharing tourism-related ...

  21. Positive and negative effects of Social Media on the Tourism ...

    According to recent research, social media became a vital part of tourism companies' strategic operations during the pandemic, and consumption increased by 72%. Social media tourism statistics also reveal some interesting shifts in tourism marketing strategies pursued by travel agencies, hotels, travel agents, and OTAs.

  22. Full article: Social media and tourism geographies: mapping future

    The fast-changing social media landscape have seen a paradigm shift in how we interact with and research space, place and environment in tourism. Social media presents both challenges and opportunities for tourism geographies due to the vast amount of and various data types. This research provides a concise state of the art and critical review ...

  23. THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON TOURISM MARKETING

    As a result, while social media effects the consumers decisions, tourism marketers can also benefit from social media engagement at the same time. Discover the world's research 25+ million members

  24. Co-creation in Tourism Marketing Before and After the Advent of Social

    Tourism businesses and consumers' focus has switched from stationary media to ongoing media. Social media features as a component of service design that is needed in the digital environment to perform the service successfully Gibbons, ().The shift from the traditional marketing of Self-Generated Content (SGC), which is company-created, is moving towards using customer-created User-Generated ...

  25. The Beginner's Roadmap To Scaling A Social Media Marketing Agency

    1. Start with a solid foundation. Before you can scale your social media marketing agency, you must first have a strong foundation. Begin by identifying your agency's unique selling proposition (USP).

  26. LAGOS STREET ART FESTIVAL on Instagram: "Last Call for LSAF 2024

    133 likes, 7 comments - lagosstreetartfestival on March 12, 2024: "Last Call for LSAF 2024 Artists! Owaaaaaaa!!!! We're calling upon talented art..."