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CASE STUDY: How Social Media Is Changing The Way We Travel (By The Numbers)

BY Michelle van Praag

Social media use has grown exponentially over the past decade and there is no doubt that it is having a huge impact. It has begun to influence almost all areas of our lives - in particular, how we travel.

There is no doubt that Facebook is king, with over 2.38 billion monthly active users, making it the biggest social network worldwide.

Youtube and Whatsapp follow closely with 1.9 billion and 1.5 billion monthly active users respectively.

And with over one billion monthly users, Instagram alone has become the new ‘landing page’ for many businesses, not least those which depend on image-driven marketing such as hotels and resorts(1).

ForeverVacation is a premium tour and entertainment company that focuses on fun, premium and unique tours around South East Asia. We currently have locations in Bali, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand and employ 43 team members which are comprised of management, marketing and our amazing tour guides.

In this case study we’re going to show exactly how social media is changing the way we travel using our own numbers based on over 2,000 private tours analyzed in South East Asia. For the purpose of this study, we used tours only from Bali, Malaysia & Vietnam.

Let’s dig into this a little deeper…

Research conducted by Facebook in 2019 showed that 67% of travelers use Instagram to find travel inspiration before booking a trip and once the trip is booked, they continue to use the platform to get themselves pumped for the upcoming adventure(2).

It’s encouraging people to explore new places they never even knew existed until they saw a photo pop up on their newsfeed! Now, we’re only a few clicks away from seeing an image on Instagram to purchasing a ticket to go there.

The power of social media should not be overlooked, especially when used by influential people. In 2015, Justin Bieber filmed his music video for “I’ll Show You” at the Fjadrárgljúfur canyon in Iceland which was shared on all of his social media pages. After this, tourism to the once sleepy town doubled between 2017 and 2018 .

The small alpine town of Wanaka in New Zealand also benefited from embracing this new way of online marketing. Thanks to it’s ‘insta-worthy’ scenery, there was a 14% growth in tourism in 2018.

Tourism chiefs attribute this to a social media campaign in which social media influencers were hosted in the town, generating a wave of Instagram related publicity(3).

This suggests that consumers are now looking to social media for travel inspiration. Many even go as far as to recreate particular images or videos from their favorite Instagram pages.

At ForeverVacation, we offer 50 different tours in Southeast Asia and our tours that focus on capturing great photos make up about 73% of our tour bookings. This shows that the motive for travel is now all about creating exciting images.

ForeverVacation survey of 2,000 private tours

And a study carried out by Schofields also found that over 40% of millennials aged 18-33 consider ‘Instagrammability’ when selecting their next holiday destination.

Instagram seems to be the leading name when it comes to travel inspiration. The platform has more than 300,000,000 posts tagged with the word ‘travel’ in them.

In terms of our customers, 68% of our tour bookings are booked by millennials . Research shows that 75% of millennials post on social media every day and 97% use social media while traveling(4). The millions of vacation pictures flooding the internet are proof of this! This generation is leveraging social media to share their travel stories with the world.

Companies looking to sustain themselves have to keep the millennial traveler demographic in mind. Millennials are aspirational and experiential travelers.

If one or more social posts appeal to them, they might be tempted to book right on the spot. Photos of dramatic landscapes could easily translate into travel plans for the immediate future.

Millennials are choosing, booking, recording and sharing their travels on social media in ways older generations simply didn’t.

But with social media at their fingertips and immediate access to endless inspiration and information, millennials want instant confirmation and communication from travel companies. They want to organize and engage digitally and seek much more instant gratification. Communication needs to happen as fast and as regularly as social updates do.

It seems that although millennials are less inclined to pick up the phone and prefer to arrange everything online, they still want human help if they hit a snag on the road. This is where companies should consider a hybrid model that allows customers to book with a click, but still be able to contact a concierge team at all times in case of last-minute delays or miscommunications.

This is where social media platforms such as Whatsapp are extremely useful. At ForeverVacation we now use Whatsapp to communicate with all of our customers during and leading up to their tours with us.

To millennials, a favorite travel influencer’s recommendation means more than one from friends or family in a lot of cases. Millennials are 54% more likely to make a purchase based on a social media influencer’s recommendation.

We have seen this in our own data as approximately 12% of our tour bookings come from referrals when being tagged or mentioned on Instagram or Facebook by a guest.

With smartphones making it easier and quicker to both take and share high quality photos and video, there has been an explosion of visual content right at the customer’s fingertips.

And it is the people behind the cameras who dictate where customers travel, rather than the travel agent’s or glossy travel brochures. Increasingly, consumers trust peers or influencers more than brands or celebrity endorsed campaigns.

With social media developing all the time, new ‘stories’ and ‘live’ features mean that there is little about the narrative which gets left untold. Each detail is carefully captured, meaning that the consumer has already been to the destination before even leaving home!

Now you can almost curate your whole experience based on the images you see online - of course this is changing the way we travel!

Travel motives are about visiting certain attractions and creating beautiful images to post on social media

Millennials want instant communication and gratification via social media platforms when trip planning

Consumers look to peers and influencers on social media for referrals and recommendations

Basically, social media IS changing the way we travel in a big way. But, this is not necessarily a bad thing! Consumers now have instantaneous access to so much travel inspiration and information, and companies can use this to their benefit.

Millennials are quick-thinking multi-taskers who are being encouraged to spend their money on experiences rather than things. The world is changing very rapidly and social media is always progressing, but we can use this to our advantage. And one thing that will never change is that people will always want to travel the world!

References:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

https://www.olapic.com/resources/the-impact-of-social-media-on-travel-inspiration_blog-p1aw-f1tr-v1th-t1sm/

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/business/iceland-economy-wow-air.html

https://www.condorferries.co.uk/millennials-travel-statistics-trends

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Top 10 Travel and Tourism Marketing Case Studies [2024]

We are entering a time where travel is not just a leisure activity but a vital part of our global culture. Industry trends suggest that personalized experiences and digital engagement will drive tourism growth. This blog explores ten innovative travel and tourism campaigns that have set the standard for effective marketing in a rapidly changing world. These case studies showcase how embracing technological advancements, cultural insights, and sustainable practices can create unforgettable experiences and successful marketing outcomes in the tourism sector.

Related: Impact of Augmented Reality on Travel & Tourism

Case Study 1: Expedia’s Travel Yourself Interesting

Company Overview:

Expedia, founded in 1995, revolutionized the travel industry by moving travel booking online, displacing traditional high-street travel agents. However, over time, the market became commoditized, with intense competition and a focus on price and deals, which led to reduced margins and an emphasis on price comparison websites.

The primary objective was to reposition travel from being seen as a cost to be minimized to a valuable investment in personal growth and self-improvement. This shift was intended to differentiate Expedia in a market dominated by price-focused marketing and to drive traffic directly to its website and app.

The essence of the campaign was built on the idea that engaging in travel enriches one’s personality and makes them more fascinating. This concept was created through a multi-channel approach, utilizing television, online films, social media, and the hashtag #TYI on Twitter. The strategy marked a departure from the industry’s standard emphasis on deals and savings, focusing instead on the transformational experiences and psychological benefits of travel.

The campaign’s impact was significant:

In the UK, the campaign achieved a remarkable return on investment (ROI) of £11 for every £1 spent.
In France, the campaign yielded an ROI of €6 per €1 spent.
Gross bookings for Expedia increased by 8% in the UK and by an impressive 33% in France.

Key Lessons:

Breaking Category Conventions: Moving away from the conventional focus on price and deals in travel marketing can be highly effective.
Emotional Connection: Creating a campaign that resonates emotionally with consumers, in this case by highlighting the enriching experiences of travel, can lead to significant commercial success.
Strategic Repositioning: Reframing a product or service as an investment in oneself rather than a cost can help a brand stand out in a commoditized market.
Insight-Driven Marketing: Building a campaign around a deep, relatable insight (“travel makes you more interesting”) can effectively engage and motivate the target audience.

Case Study 2: Icelandair’s Iceland Academy

Icelandair, the national carrier of Iceland, has played a pivotal role in promoting tourism to Iceland.

The primary objective of the “Iceland Academy” aspect of the campaign was to educate tourists about Icelandic culture, etiquette, and safety, thereby enhancing their travel experience. This initiative was part of a broader strategy to attract more visitors to Iceland and encourage responsible and sustainable tourism.

The campaign was executed through an online platform offering 14 short videos of one and a half minutes each. These tutorials covered diverse aspects of Icelandic culture, such as hot tub etiquette, local food sustainability, and glacier safety. The aim was to provide insider knowledge and tips to tourists for a safer and more enriching visit. The “Iceland Academy” participants could earn badges and even win a trip to Iceland.

Total Views: 10M
Increase in consideration of viewers: 30%
Increase in search compared to non-viewers – 342%
Educational Marketing: Providing practical, educational content can enhance the appeal of a destination and improve the visitor experience.
Cultural Sensitivity: Highlighting local customs and etiquette helps promote respectful and responsible tourism.
Leveraging Local Expertise: Utilizing locals and experts in campaign materials can lend authenticity and credibility.
Interactive Engagement: Encouraging active participation (earning badges, winning trips) can increase engagement and interest.
Sustainable Tourism Focus: Positioning a destination focusing on sustainability and respect for nature can appeal to a growing segment of environmentally-conscious travelers.

Case Study 3: Ireland Tourism’s Doors of Thrones

The campaign was led by Tourism Ireland, the organization promoting Ireland as a global travel destination. The organization collaborated with HBO and other partners to create a unique tourism experience highlighting Northern Ireland’s connection to “Game of Thrones.”

The campaign’s primary goal was to promote Northern Ireland as a travel destination by leveraging its association with “Game of Thrones.” This was achieved by transforming a natural disaster (the felling of trees during Storm Gertrude) into a creative opportunity.

The campaign centered around creating ten intricately carved wooden doors, each depicting scenes from the show’s sixth season. These doors, crafted from trees that fell during the storm at the Dark Hedges (a filming location for the show), were placed in pubs across Northern Ireland near key filming locations. The doors served as both an homage to the series and a tourist attraction.

Generated £17 million in earned media.
8% increase in tourism from the previous year.
Views – 17.5 Mn, 250,000 engagements, and a combined total reach of 126 million people.
Creative Use of Cultural Phenomena: Leveraging popular culture can significantly boost tourism, especially when linked to globally recognized media.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities: The campaign creatively used the aftermath of a natural disaster (fallen trees from a storm) to create a unique tourist attraction.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with HBO and other stakeholders was critical to the campaign’s success.
Multi-Location Engagement: Placing the doors in different locations encouraged tourists to travel across Northern Ireland, distributing the economic benefits.

Case Study 4: Australia Tourism’s Come and Say G’Day Campaign

Tourism Australia, the organization responsible for promoting Australia as a global travel destination, launched the “Come and Say G’day” campaign. This initiative is part of Tourism Australia’s “There’s Nothing Like Australia” global brand platform.

The campaign’s main objective was to reignite the world’s interest in visiting Australia. It aimed to capture the imagination of potential travelers through creative and uniquely Australian elements, driving demand for travel to Australia.

The multi-channel campaign featured two CGI-animated characters. Ruby, a kangaroo souvenir, enlivened the campaign, brought to life with the voice of renowned Australian actress Rose Byrne. Complementing Ruby was Louie, a toy unicorn symbolizing international tourists, with his voice provided by the talented actor Will Arnett. The campaign included a short film, television commercials, print and high-impact out-of-home creatives, and digital and social media content. It featured a reimagined version of the iconic Australian anthem “Down Under,” performed by King Stingray, sung in both English and Yolŋu Matha. The campaign ran across 15 key international markets.

By July 2023, international visitation to Australia rebounded to approximately 80% of the pre-COVID figures of July 2019.
10% uptick in global flight inquiries for Australia
Tourism Australia developed 190 strategic partnerships, including prominent airlines and travel agents, contributing to the increase in global interest in Australian holidays.
Leveraging Cultural Icons: Utilizing recognizable cultural symbols, like the Australian kangaroo, can effectively resonate with international audiences.
Multi-Channel Strategy: A diverse media approach, including animated films and social media content, can broaden the reach and appeal of the campaign.
Emotional Connection: Creating relatable and engaging characters can foster an emotional connection with potential tourists.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with various stakeholders, including airlines and travel agents, amplify the campaign’s impact.
Adaptability Across Markets: The campaign’s success in both English and non-English speaking territories highlights the importance of adaptable marketing strategies.

Case Study 5: California’s Am I Dreaming

The main goal was to showcase California’s vast attractions and encourage tourism, particularly after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign aimed to reinvigorate interest in travel to California by highlighting its unique and diverse destinations.

“Am I Dreaming?” was a visually captivating advertisement highlighting a wide array of California landscapes, providing a glimpse of the diverse scenery and destinations from picturesque beaches to majestic mountains and everything in between.

The campaign extended beyond the Super Bowl ad, running on linear TV, online TV, and digital platforms through the peak spring trip-planning season. It also included a social media presence, with remixed ad versions and behind-the-scenes footage.

The pregame spot received 60 million viewers, a high percentage in the target 25-54 age demographic.
The ad was selected as AdForum’s #1 ad worldwide.
Leveraging Major Events: Premiering the campaign during the Super Bowl capitalized on the event’s massive viewership.
Celebrity Involvement: Involving well-known celebrities helped increase the campaign’s reach and appeal.
Cinematic Quality: High production value and engaging visuals can significantly enhance a tourism ad’s effectiveness.
Multi-Platform Strategy: Extending the campaign beyond TV to digital and social media ensured broader and sustained engagement.

Related: Best AI in Travel & Hospitality Case Studies

Case Study 6: Boosting Travel to San Francisco During Golden Week

San Francisco, renowned for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, vibrant food scene, and pleasant weather, has long been a favored destination among travelers worldwide. The San Francisco Travel Association, alongside key partners such as United Airlines, SFO Airport, Napa Valley, and Concord, aimed to capitalize on the Golden Week—a significant national holiday in China marked by a surge in international travel.

The primary objectives were threefold:

Elevate brand awareness for United Airlines and SFO.
Encourage Chinese tourists to book accommodations in San Francisco.
Increase visibility for neighboring destinations like Napa and Concord.

These goals were set against evolving economic conditions and digital consumption patterns among Chinese tourists.

In response to the emergence of a new demographic of “free and independent” (FIT) travelers from China, the San Francisco Travel Association devised an innovative campaign. They collaborated with United Airlines, SFO, Napa Valley, and Concord to orchestrate the ultimate Northern California road trip experience.

The campaign’s centerpiece was a partnership with Kiki Fang, China’s top travel social influencer, boasting 6.5 million followers on Douyin. Fang’s travel vlogs, embodying the essence of San Francisco, were disseminated across popular Chinese platforms, including Weibo, Douyin, Toutiao, RED, Mafengwo, and Ctrip. These vlogs featured branded experiences designed to appeal to the target audience. They were supplemented by a performance campaign on Ctrip featuring a custom landing page, travel products, and banner ads.

The campaign yielded impressive outcomes, as highlighted below:

Video Views: 85 Million
Video Likes: 5 Million
Video Comments: 103K
Room Nights Booked: 6,870+
Year Over Year Growth: 21%

These statistics underscore the campaign’s success in engaging Chinese FIT travelers and encouraging them to visit San Francisco and its surrounding areas.

From this campaign, several key lessons emerged:

Influencer Impact: The significant role of a well-chosen influencer in reaching and engaging target demographics cannot be overstated. Kiki Fang’s credibility and relatability were instrumental in the campaign’s success.
Localized Content: It is critical to tailor content to fit the target audience’s cultural and social media consumption habits. Utilizing platforms popular among Chinese travelers ensured the campaign’s visibility and engagement.
Collaborative Marketing: The synergy between various tourism stakeholders (airlines, destinations, and influencers) can create a more compelling and holistic campaign, enhancing overall effectiveness.
Digital Adaptation: Staying abreast of digital trends and consumption patterns is vital for engaging modern travelers, particularly those from rapidly evolving markets like China.

Case Study 7: Etihad Airways’ Single Use Plastic Free Flight

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) embarked on a pioneering journey to address the pressing global issue of single-use plastic pollution, particularly within the aviation industry. Aligning with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, EAG committed to a significant environmental initiative by implementing a policy to reduce single-use plastics across its operations, setting an ambitious target to achieve an 80% reduction.

The initiative’s primary objective was to confront the environmental impact of single-use plastics in aviation, an industry notably contributing to this global concern. EAG aimed to lead by example, leveraging its policy to substantially cut down on single-use plastic consumption within its various verticals and enhance its brand affinity through demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and improving the overall guest experience.

Strategy and Execution:

EAG conducted a comprehensive audit to identify the key areas of single-use plastic consumption within its operations, discovering the highest usage in in-flight and customer service areas. The strategy focused on these areas, sourcing eco-friendly alternatives for over 95 different single-use plastic items, including cutlery, cups, and toothbrushes. A landmark achievement was the operation of the world’s first single-use-plastic-free flight on Earth Day from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane, symbolizing EAG’s dedication to sustainability. The event was heavily promoted through various communication channels, including social media, in-flight videos, and participation from environmental experts, media, and influencers, to generate widespread awareness and engagement.

Achieved a 20% reduction in single-use plastics on-board flights by June.
Aiming to eliminate over 100 tonnes of single-use plastics from onboard services by the end of the year.
The video celebrating Earth Day captivated a 6 million-person audience and garnered more than 1.2 million views on various social media platforms.
Generated significant media coverage, with over 60 global outlets reporting on the initiative.
Launched an ‘eco partnership’ with Boeing to explore sustainable aviation practices further.
Comprehensive audits are critical in identifying and addressing key areas of impact within operations.
Forming strategic alliances and working collaboratively enhances the scope and effectiveness of efforts towards sustainability.
Engaging narratives and the involvement of prominent figures play crucial roles in elevating awareness and motivating transformative actions.
Achieving significant environmental goals requires a multifaceted approach, combining policy change, customer engagement, and industry collaboration.
Sustainability initiatives can significantly enhance brand affinity and customer experience, positioning a company as a leader in responsible business practices.

Case Study 8: Swedish tourism board targets myth-seekers

In collaboration with Prime Weber Shandwick, Stockholm, Visit Sweden embarked on an innovative PR campaign designed to elevate Sweden’s profile as a travel destination. By delving into the rich tapestry of Swedish folklore and leveraging the burgeoning interest in mysticism, occult, and dark tourism, they introduced an immersive auditory experience titled “Spellbound by Sweden.” This campaign aimed to showcase the hidden drama of Sweden’s modest forests through the lens of its mythical inhabitants, providing travelers a unique cultural and emotional journey.

The campaign sought to differentiate Sweden from other nature-centric destinations by highlighting its cultural richness and mystical folklore. The objectives were to:

Increase global awareness of Sweden as a culturally rich destination.
Attract interest from markets with a demonstrated affinity for folklore, mysticism, and the occult, particularly focusing on the UK and US markets.
Encourage engagement with Swedish nature through a novel, sensory-driven travel experience.
Boost intention to travel to Sweden by captivating the imagination of potential visitors with the allure of experiencing folklore first-hand.

To achieve these objectives, Visit Sweden and Prime Weber Shandwick crafted a captivating audio story, “Kiln,” in collaboration with horror writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. This story, accessible exclusively within Sweden’s national parks, like Åsnen and Fulufjället, through Spotify, leveraged geo-locking technology to ensure an immersive on-site experience. Listeners would embark on a mystical journey through the forest, stepping into the main character’s shoes and encountering various mythological beings. This innovative use of audio storytelling was supported by a comprehensive digital strategy, engaging potential travelers on social media and the Visit Sweden website with rich content about Sweden’s mythical forest creatures and recommended visitation sites.

Achieved a campaign reach of approximately 150 million in the UK and US markets.
Digital content engagement significantly exceeded benchmarks, with some content experiencing up to 10 minutes of reading time.
Successfully reached 80% of the targeted audience in the UK and US.
Achieved a 16% rise in recognition of Sweden as a travel destination, augmented its cultural image by 14%, and increased the desire to visit by 5%.
Innovative Storytelling: Leveraging local folklore and partnering with a renowned writer can deeply enrich the narrative and appeal of a destination.
Emotional Engagement: Transitioning from visual to emotional storytelling, particularly through audio, can create a more intimate and immersive experience for the audience.
Cultural Fluency: Aligning the campaign with current cultural trends and interests (e.g., the rise of #WitchTok, astrology, and dark tourism) can significantly amplify its relevance and reach.
Media Strategy: Utilizing a geo-lock feature for content delivery not only enhances the experience but also generates PR interest, showcasing an effective use of technology in tourism marketing.
Broader Implications: Even if a large portion of the audience may not directly experience the campaign (due to its geo-locked nature), the generated media coverage and social buzz contribute to achieving the campaign’s broader objectives.

Case Study 9: 13000 reasons to visit Northern Norway

Visit Norway, the official tourism board of Norway promotes Norway as a premier travel destination for both domestic and international tourists. By leveraging Norway’s rich cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and unique experiences, Visit Norway aims to increase tourism and showcase the country’s diverse attractions.

The “13000 Reasons to Visit Northern Norway” campaign aimed to boost domestic tourism within Norway, with a specific focus on encouraging Norwegians to explore the northern regions of their country. This initiative sought to highlight Northern Norway’s unique appeal through the lens of foreign tourists, who have shared their positive experiences and the region’s captivating allure on various social media platforms.

To bring this campaign to life, Visit Norway embarked on an innovative strategy by compiling 13,000 comments from foreign tourists who had visited Northern Norway. These comments, sourced from social media, served as authentic testimonials to the region’s beauty and unique offerings. The campaign creatively utilized these comments by having them read aloud by a local comedian, effectively creating what was described as the world’s longest travel review. This not only provided a platform for showcasing genuine visitor experiences but also engaged the audience in a novel and entertaining manner.

72% reach of target group
33% increase in domestic tourism to Northern Norway was recorded.
The campaign gained international recognition, winning the HSMAI Adrian Award for “Best in Show” and the Webby Award for “Best Use of Social Video.”
Authentic Testimonials: Leveraging real visitor experiences and testimonials can provide compelling reasons for others to visit, showcasing the destination’s appeal through genuine and relatable content.
Creative Engagement: Utilizing unique and entertaining methods to present information, such as having a comedian read out visitor comments, can significantly increase engagement and interest.
Focusing on Lesser-Known Regions: Highlighting the attractions and experiences of lesser-visited areas can stimulate interest and tourism, contributing to a more balanced distribution of visitors across a country.
Social Media as a Tool for Promotion: The effective use of social media comments and engagement in promotional campaigns can amplify reach and authenticity, connecting with potential visitors on platforms they frequently use.

Case Study 10: Bermuda Pink

Bermuda’s tourism board embarked on a strategic marketing campaign aimed at reversing a decline in visitor numbers, particularly those arriving by plane, which had seen a 6% year-over-year decrease in 2019. Recognizing Bermuda’s proximity to New York City and its stunning pink-sand beaches, the campaign sought to reinvigorate interest in the island as an ideal destination for families, friends, and couples seeking unique travel experiences.

The primary goal was to rejuvenate Bermuda’s tourism sector by showcasing the island’s unique attractions and experiences. By highlighting Bermuda’s accessibility from major cities like New York and underscoring its idyllic landscapes, the campaign aimed to educate potential travelers about the island and inspire them to make travel bookings, thereby targeting key demographic groups including families, friends, and couples.

To achieve these objectives, the campaign introduced “Bermuda Pink,” a dynamic marketing initiative that combined a digital microsite with a traditional print campaign. The strategy capitalized on content developed jointly with travel and fashion influencer Wendy Nguyen, who has a following exceeding 1.1 million on Instagram, and Meredith Andrews, a renowned local photographer and artist. The campaign content was strategically diversified into three core themes—Family, Friendship, and Romance—featuring listicles, articles, and slideshows tailored to each audience segment.

The microsite was hosted on Travel & Leisure’s website, a favorite among the target demographic, supported by sponsored social posts and traffic-driving efforts from DEPARTURES and Food & Wine. Additionally, high-impact advertorials in the print editions of Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine featured translucent acetate overlays and QR codes to direct readers to gotobermuda.com. The campaign’s launch was celebrated with an exclusive event at the distinguished Roxy Hotel in New York, drawing influencers, members of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, and a select group from The Luxury Group at Meredith.

The microsite attracted nearly 185,000 total combined page views.
Generated 47.4k clicks to the campaign’s content.
Achieved an average read time of 72 seconds on the microsite, which is a +6% lift over the Meredith benchmark of 68 seconds.
Display ads for the campaign delivered a Click-Through Rate (CTR) more than +67% above the industry benchmark.
Wendy Nguyen’s Instagram posts related to Bermuda received a total of 58,040 likes.
Her most popular Bermuda campaign post received over 16,000 likes, significantly higher than her general post average of around 10,000 likes per post.
Influencer Collaboration: Partnering with influencers who have a strong, relevant following can significantly amplify a campaign’s reach and impact.
Integrated Marketing Approach: Combining digital and print mediums, along with exclusive events, can create a comprehensive and immersive campaign experience.
Content Tailoring: Developing content that resonates with specific target groups—families, friends, and couples—can more effectively inspire travel intentions.
Engagement Metrics: High engagement rates, from page views to social media interactions, are crucial indicators of a campaign’s resonance with its intended audience.

Event Marketing: Exclusive events can serve as a powerful tool for generating buzz and fostering direct engagement with key influencers and potential travelers

Related: Top Instagram Marketing Tips for Tourism

The travel and tourism marketing world is as varied and vibrant as the destinations it promotes. These campaigns highlight key lessons in leveraging cultural icons, creating immersive digital experiences, and utilizing major events for promotional advantage. As the industry continues to evolve in a post-pandemic world, these insights are more relevant than ever, offering a roadmap for future marketing efforts. Whether you’re a marketer, a tourism professional, or a travel enthusiast, these case studies offer a glimpse into the art and science of turning destinations into dream vacations.

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How to set up a travel social media marketing strategy

Written by by Jenn Chen

Published on December 17, 2019

Reading time 7 minutes

We’ve all seen the social posts: selfies from a beach vacation, airplane wings en route to a faraway destination and delicious meals in a different city. Through all the changes and growth that social media has experienced in the last decade, some things stay the same. Vacations are posted about in all of their stages: planning, sourcing recommendations and the trip itself. Social media plays an important role in all of this and travel companies should recognize it or risk stagnation.

Whether you’re a luggage company or a hotel, our tips should give you some ideas to test out on social. You’ll notice that a lot of the ideas are centered around content and that is because travel lends itself to a more visual audience. People want to see what the experience will be like and they need to see it often. Read on to find out how to take advantage of social media to get the message out about your travel or hospitality brand.

Basics: Set yourself up for success

If you’re starting your strategy from scratch or just looking to update your current one, taking a look at the resources available to you is always step one. You can’t manage four different social networks by yourself if you have a large and active audience. Responding to comments alone would take up a lot of your time. So what kind of resources are we talking about?

Staff is the most obvious one. How many people do you need for your company to successfully meet goals for sourcing and creating content, posting, managing comments and DMs and keep an eye out for complaints? Is your company large enough that you need a 24-hour watch on social media? Managing a single-location company is far more different than managing a multi-location one, especially if it spans multiple time zones.

The next basic resource to pay attention to is skill . This ties closely to staff because you want to make sure you have all the right skillsets to execute your strategy. And if you don’t, then you’ll need to be comfortable outsourcing. Social media managers tend to have a lot of different skills , including excellent communication and writing.

Third, get your budget in order. Ads are an important part of the travel industry. If you’re running flash deals on social media, ads are the way to go and you need to make sure you have the budget to promote them.

Lastly, document your strategy with goals . Without clear social media goals per network, your strategy will flounder. The best way to set these up is to evaluate your current audiences and see how they’re using each network. For example, if your customers like to use Twitter for direct customer service, set up goals on response time and a feedback loop of how well your responses are performing. Have a response plan in place for common questions and complaints.

Setup might take a while and you’ll go through several iterations in trial and error, but having a basic plan in place will save you wasted effort in the long run. Having a total picture of the resources available to you will help you know if you should be active on that additional social network or not.

Plan posts for each portion of the purchase cycle

For more expensive getaways and items, the purchase cycle will be longer. For travel brands, this means you’re playing the long game and need to make sure you have posts targeted for each stage.

At the beginning of 2019, Pinterest released their travel personas and trend report . It noted that “69% of Travel Pinners use Pinterest to discover travel services when deciding what to book.” The Pinners typically booked within two months of starting research and research included everything from what to bring to what to do.

Instead of directly promoting their services to customers, cruise company Carnival created a “Cruising Tips” Pinterest board for those still thinking about going on a cruise or have recently booked. The guides are a nice mix of what to expect when you go on a cruise to how to stick to your exercise routine.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a hotel or a travel backpack company. The principles of targeting consumers at each part of the purchase cycle remain the same. Don’t forget that you’re not done when they’ve made the purchase. You want to keep them constantly engaged and reminded of your product or service.

Understand different generations

Millennials and the younger Generation Z groups have more spending power now but to market to them, you’ll need to understand their social media use. An Expedia study of millennial and Gen Z travel behaviors found that they were heavily influenced by social media.

Eighty-four percent of Gen Z and 77% of millennials surveyed had been influenced by social media when planning their travel. More than 70% surveyed were open to help and inspiration during the planning process.

Both Gen Z and millennials named appealing imagery and deals as the two most informative pieces of social media content. Photos and videos maybe costly to create and produce but they will be worth it in the long run.

To ease the content sourcing pain, include user-generated content from past customers. This works particularly well for high-ticket purchases. Potential customers get to see what they’ll be buying through the lens of someone who’s already been. It establishes credibility to your brand so you’re not the only ones talking about you.

Walk into sophisticated spaces designed to expand the mind and spark new ways of thinking. / 🎥: @RonTimehin at @RdamMarriott pic.twitter.com/CIcsoioVx6 — Marriott Hotels (@Marriott) September 6, 2019

Marriott Hotels consistently uses user-generated content to promote its various hotel locations. They give glimpses into what it’s like to stay at a location. While some photos and videos on your account will be staged, you can bring in additional authenticity by reposting ones created by their guests.

Why your entire team needs access to social business intelligence

Respond to reviews

Reputation management is important in travel and this doesn’t mean only responding to complaints. According to a Harvard Business Review study with TripAdvisor, it found that once hotels started responding to reviews, they saw a drop in the amount of short negative reviews. Knowing that management was reading and responding to reviews made for more thoughtful posts.

In a 2019 study , TripAdvisor noted that 81% of respondents frequently rely on reviews before booking a hotel. Travel purchases represent a major investment of money, time and even the emotional expectations people place on anticipating a great vacation, so your audience depends on feedback from reviews and social media to figure out how to spend their money and effort. This is why staying engaged and responsive on both social networks and review sites is key to building a travel brand’s presence.

To make it easier on yourself, use Sprout’s new review management tool to respond to reviews on Google My Business, Facebook and TripAdvisor all in one place.

The next essential step is to create an online review management strategy . This involves coming up with tone, vocabulary and common scenarios that might need addressing.

how reviews influence decisions to use local business

Online reviews do influence consumer behaviors so it’s best to approach them like any compliment or complaint you might have in person. Be sure to respond in a timely manner, listen to what they’re saying, offer a resolution if you’re able to and e sure to avoid a defensive tone. Pretend that you’re being recorded and the video will be posted publicly for eternity–this will help you avoid lashing back at difficult customer feedback in the heat of the moment. Future customers will read your responses, so how you respond is important.

Divide & conquer

For multi-location businesses, it’s sometimes best to create separate accounts for your national and local brands. The national brands can amplify local messaging and connect with loyal brand advocates while the local brands can address in-the-moment customer service queries and promote their immediate area.

Following the lead of other large corporations, you may even set up a separate account to address customer service inquiries. All of this is up to your company and your available resources. For whichever circumstances you fall under, Sprout makes it easy for enterprise companies to post in a cohesive and collaborative manner. Divide your local branches up into groups but still give them access to your Sprout Asset Library .

Ace Hotel does a good job of creating a cohesive national brand presence while their local accounts focus on what’s happening in that location or city. Each local account also runs promotions to make following them more appealing to those who are thinking of booking.

The travel industry is large and encompasses many different types of companies. But whether you’re a single-location vacation rental or a multi-location global company, travelers still want to hear from you. Your best bet is to plan carefully and get creative. Take inspiration from other companies and be sure to invest in a strategy and professional imagery.

Idyllcove Vacation Cabin is a great example of one location doing their best at promotion. The shots posted are always on brand even when they’re user-generated content. To help potential visitors cement their decision, they created a highlight that tours the cabin. And the Guest Snaps highlight makes use of user-generated Story content.

Airbnb, on the other hand, is on the opposite end of the vacation rental spectrum. The company uses Instagram to highlight its many available places to book and what you can expect out of each one. In the above example, you can not only picture yourself there but you also get ideas on what you can do while you’re staying there.

Whatever your specialization is in the travel industry, the basic tenets are the same: get your basics down, respond to reviews in a timely and gentle manner and don’t forget the newer generation.

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Social media is fundamentally changing the way travellers and tourists search, find, read and trust, as well as collaboratively produce information about tourism suppliers and tourism destinations. Presenting cutting-edge theory, research and case studies investigating Web 2.0 applications and tools that transform the role and behaviour of the new generation of travellers, this book also examines the ways in which tourism organisations reengineer and implement their business models and operations, such as new service development, marketing, networking and knowledge management. Written by an international group of researchers widely known for their expertise in the field of the Internet and tourism, chapters include applications and case studies in various travel, tourism and leisure sectors.

Chapter | 4 pages, introduction, part 1 | 62 pages, web 2.0: strategic and operational business models, chapter 1 | 4 pages, introduction to part 1, chapter 2 | 14 pages, web 2.0 and networks in wine tourism: the case studies of www.greatwinecapitals.com and www.wineandhospitalitynetwork.com, chapter 3 | 14 pages, web 2.0 and customer involvement in new service development: a framework, cases and implications in tourism, chapter 4 | 14 pages, ‘creating the buzz': merchant city (glasgow) case study, chapter 5 | 14 pages, examining hotel managers' acceptance of web 2.0 in website development: a case study of hotels in hong kong, part 2 | 98 pages, web 2.0: applications for marketing, chapter 6 | 4 pages, introduction to part 2, chapter 7 | 14 pages, theoretical models of social media, marketing implications, and future research directions, chapter 8 | 12 pages, riding the social media wave: strategies of dmos who successfully engage in social media marketing, chapter 9 | 22 pages, national dmos and web 2.0, chapter 10 | 12 pages, arizona meeting planners' use of social networking media, chapter 11 | 16 pages, web 2.0 and pricing transparency in hotel services, chapter 12 | 16 pages, blogs: “re-inventing” tourism communication, part 3 | 90 pages, web 2.0: travellers' behaviour, chapter 13 | 4 pages, introduction to part 3, chapter 14 | 18 pages, travellers 2.0: motivation, opportunity and ability to use social media, chapter 15 | 18 pages, use and creation of social media by travellers, chapter 16 | 18 pages, users' attitudes toward online social networks in travel, chapter 17 | 14 pages, an exploration of wine blog communication patterns, chapter 18 | 16 pages, the effect of e-reviews on consumer behaviour: an exploratory study on agro-tourism, part 4 | 58 pages, web 2.0: knowledge management and market research, chapter 19 | 4 pages, introduction to part 4, chapter 20 | 20 pages, knowledge management and web 2.0: preliminary findings from the greek tourism industry, chapter 21 | 12 pages, analysing blog content for competitive advantage: lessons learned in the application of software aided linguistics analysis, chapter 22 | 20 pages, social media monitoring: a practical case example of city destinations.

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Social Media in Travel and Tourism, 2021 Update - Thematic Research

Region: Global
ID: 5390644
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A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

Accor Hotels
Booking Holdings
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Egyptian Ministry of Tourism
Expedia Group
Iceland Travel
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Japan National Tourism Organization
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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Lonely Planet
Marriott International
Melia Hotels International
National Geographic
Norwegian Cruise Line
Teletext Holidays
The Travel Franchise Group
Travel Alberta
Travel Counsellors
TravelPulse
Travel Weekly
TripAdvisor
Visit Dubai
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Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Theory, Practice and Cases

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Marianna Sigala, Assistant professor, University of the Aegean, Greece, Evangelos Christou, Professor, Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki, Greece and Ulrike Gretzel, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong, Australia

Critics' Reviews

'Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality provides a comprehensive overview of how the rapidly developing Web 2.0 phenomenon is challenging existing customer service, marketing and promotional processes throughout our sector. Packed with examples and comprehensive analyses, the text help readers to rapidly gain an in-depth understanding of both current practices and potential future perspectives, helping them to assess the implications of such developments for their own businesses.' Peter O' Connor, ESSEC Business School, France 'This is an excellent book. The focus of the book on Web 2.0 is important and timely as technology and society have converged to create tools which will have profound impact on travel. The variety of topics and depth to which issues related to Web 2.0 are discussed make it a volume that should be read by all tourism scholars. Further, it challenges both academics and industry professionals alike to consider how the quickly emerging online communities within Web 2.0 are shaping our future.' Daniel R. Fesenmaier, Temple University, USA 'This gripping collection of key topics in social media marketing is an extremely useful guide for tourism and hospitality researchers and practitioners alike. The latest insights into strategy development, Web 2.0 impact on user behaviour and knowledge management are illustrated with real-world case studies that will make you fit for your business.' Christian Maurer, University of Applied Sciences Krems, Austria 'This book exhibits a masterful combination of conceptual sources with rich empirical cases. Its goals are not only to explore how social media shapes tourism demand and supply, but the social effects of media on forging new hybrid identities.' Annals of Tourism Research

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Case Study: How Booking.com influencer campaign engaged consumers and attempted to re-define #FutureOfTravel

With the evolving world, Booking.com released its engagement campaign while leveraging 5 influencers who attempted to re-define the #FutureOfTravel, driving conversations around hope and optimism in the digital era.

This case study explores how the Booking.com influencer campaign on social media engaged consumers to reach over 6 Cr+ people through digital portals. The initiative was aimed at instilling faith when influencers shared their possible travel goals for 2021.

Category Introduction

India is the most digitally advanced traveler nation in terms of digital tools for planning, booking, and experiencing a journey, as per IBEF . India’s rising middle class and increasing disposable income have supported the growth of domestic and outbound tourism.

The Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth in India's services sector. Tourism in India has significant potential considering the rich cultural and historical heritage, variety in ecology, terrains, and places of natural beauty spread across the country. Travel and tourism are also a potentially large employment generator besides being a significant foreign exchange source for the country. In FY20, as per IBEF , 39 million jobs were created in the tourism sector in India; this accounted for 8.0% of the total employment in the country. The number is expected to rise by 2% per annum to 52.3 million jobs by 2028.

Brand Introduction

Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com seamlessly attempts to connect millions of travelers with memorable experiences, a range of transportation options, and places to stay - from homes to hotels and more.

As one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces for both established brands and entrepreneurs of all sizes, Booking.com enables properties all over the world to reach a global audience and grow their businesses. The platform is available in 44 languages and offers more than 28 million total reported accommodation listings, including more than 6.5 million listings of homes, apartments, and other places to stay. No matter where you want to go or what you want to do, Booking.com makes it easy and backs it all up with 24/7 customer support.

Travel was one of the most impacted industries by COVID-19. The year 2020 put a pause on travel, and while people have started traveling to closer-to-home destinations, travel behavior and priorities have evolved. From traveling solo to going on road trips or planning quick weekend getaways to exploring the home country, Booking.com wanted to understand what travelers are looking forward to doing in 2021.

‘What, according to Indian travelers, is the #FutureOfTravel?’ is the consumer sentiment was what the brand campaign wanted to uncover through an influencer outreach initiative.

Problem Statement/Objective

The objective was to reinstate the importance of travel, and communicate how one’s experience of 2020 has an impact on their travel goals in 2021 through the booking.com influencer engagement campaign.

Booking.com looked to drive a campaign to trigger conversations on the evolved travel behavior, building on their experiences in 2020. Their goal was to highlight the redefined meaning of travel in 2021 and more importantly, emphasize the value of travel in people’s lives. With that in mind, the task at hand was to get people to talk about what their journeys in 2021 will be like - the ones that will inspire, the ones that will rediscover India, and the ones that will make a difference.

Creative Idea

Engage with influencers from different walks of life to set 2021 travel goals, aligned with how they see their #FutureOfTravel
Each influencer was to highlight how travel plays a key role in their life and one travel goal they have set for themselves in 2021 basis their learnings from 2020
To drive engagement for the campaign by inviting followers to share their 2021 Travel Goals, tagging @bookingcom and the influencer’s handles
To gratify some followers sharing their travel goals with gift cards that can be used to realize their travel goals in 2021 when it is safe to do so

One of the technical issues was some of the participants keeping their Instagram accounts private, which caused some challenges for the campaign.

Booking.com partnered with five influencers to post an image of themselves that closely resonated with their travel goal of how they plan to travel in 2021 using the hashtag #FutureOfTravel and tagging Booking.com on Instagram. These influencers included Rohit Saraf, Sanaya Irani, Ridhima Kapoor Sahani, and travel influencers Shramona Poddar and Ankita Rai.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohit Suresh Saraf (@rohitsaraf)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ankita Kumar (@monkey.inc)

Also read: Case Study: How Nutella India engagement campaign leveraged personalization to reach millions on World Nutella day

Weekend getaways, solo travel, family travel, sustainable travel, and local travel were the themes covered by each of the influencers respectively.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanaya Irani (@sanayairani)

As a part of the Booking.com engagement campaign, the influencers invited their followers to post an image of themselves, tagging their two favourite travel buddies, and caption it with their 2021 Travel Goal, using #FutureOfTravel and tagging @bookingcom and the influencer.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shramona Poddar (@mishti.and.meat)

One winner per influencer was to win a Booking.com gift card to live their travel goals in 2021. This gift card was a co-branded debit card with a local Indian bank which the winner can use to book a stay at Booking.com.

The booking.com influencer campaign also engaged with the press to highlight the 2021 travel goals of the influencers, thereby landing the message of the campaign beyond social media.

Quantitative

6cr (60 mn) people reached through digital portals
50 lacs (5mn) people reached through social media, with 4 lacs (462K) engagements*
30+ entries received through the contest

Qualitative

The campaign was successful in meeting its objectives of stirring conversations on the refined meaning of travel post-pandemic and positioning Booking.com as a platform of choice through influencer posts
Key message themes were successfully highlighted through the campaign, including sustainable travel and back to travel
Strong influencer partnerships resulted in additional deliverables (stories) through the two travel influencers, maximising ROI
Booking.com engaged with contestants of the campaign by commenting on their posts, thereby boosting the morale of the participants, resulting in a two-way engagement between consumers and the brand

“Travel is an integral part of our lives and holds different meanings for different travelers - be it experiencing cultures, food or be in the company of nature and at peace with oneself at a picturesque destination. While 2020 was a breakthrough year for travel, it gave everyone the time and opportunity to introspect their priorities. We believe that the #FutureOfTravel campaign has given travelers an opportunity to re-prioritize their travel goals as learning from the pandemic. It is great to see travelers wanting to make a substantial difference going forward and talking about their travel goals in 2021 through our campaign, and Booking.com continues to remain committed to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, as it is safe to do so again,” said, Ritu Mehrotra, Regional Manager, South Asia, Booking.com.

Points to note:

*indicative of duplication in followers as well

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Social media and destination branding in tourism: a systematic review of the literature.

1. Introduction

2. materials and methods, 3.1. annual scientific production, 3.2. the most influential journals, 3.3. parts of the world which contribute the most, 3.4. methodological characteristics, 3.4.1. content analysis, 3.4.2. survey, 3.4.3. interviews, 3.5. social media platforms, 3.6. research themes, 3.6.1. dmos’ destination branding strategy (dbs), 3.6.2. cognitive dimensions (cds), 3.6.3. affective dimensions (ads), 3.6.4. behavioural dimensions (bds), 3.6.5. user-generated content (ugc), 4. discussion, 4.1. information and technology innovations, 4.2. new-generation users, 4.3. the branding strategy effectiveness, 4.4. travel cycle, 4.5. sustainable tourism, 5. concluding remarks, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Database	Searching Query	Number of Results
SCOPUS	(TITLE-ABS-KEY (“destination brand ” OR “nation brand ” OR “cit brand ” OR “region brand ” OR “countr brand ” OR “place brand ”) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (“social media” OR “Facebook” OR “Instagram” OR “Twitter” OR “Youtube” OR “TripAdvisor” OR “Tiktok”)) AND (PUBYEAR < 2022) AND LANGUAGE (english) AND DOCTYPE (ar) AND SUBJAREA (busi)	111
Web of Science	TS = (“destination brand ” OR “nation brand ” OR “cit brand ” OR “region brand ” OR “countr brand ” OR “place brand ”) AND TS = (“social media” OR “Facebook” OR “Instagram” OR “Twitter” OR “Youtube” OR “TripAdvisor” OR “Tiktok”) And Refined by: Document Types: Articles, Languages: English, Web of Science Categories: Hospitality Leisure Sport Tourism. Excluded by: Publication Years: 2022	86

Journal	No	%
Journal of Destination Marketing & Management	16	14.04
Place Branding & Public Diplomacy	13	11.40
Tourism Management	9	7.89
Journal of Place Management & Development	5	4.39
African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure	4	3.51
Cities	4	3.51
Journal of Vacation Marketing	4	3.51
Tourism Management Perspectives	4	3.51
Current Issues in Tourism	3	2.63
Information Technology and Tourism	3	2.63
International Journal of Tourism Cities	3	2.63
Others	50	43.86
	114	100

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Share and Cite

Tran, N.L.; Rudolf, W. Social Media and Destination Branding in Tourism: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Sustainability 2022 , 14 , 13528. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013528

Tran NL, Rudolf W. Social Media and Destination Branding in Tourism: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Sustainability . 2022; 14(20):13528. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013528

Tran, Nguyet Luong, and Wawrzyniec Rudolf. 2022. "Social Media and Destination Branding in Tourism: A Systematic Review of the Literature" Sustainability 14, no. 20: 13528. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013528

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Hospitality
Social Media Management
Social Media Marketing

how to use social media with hospitality

Elevate Your Hotel and Travel Business with Social Media: Strategic Insights for Decision Makers

Written by Anna Sonnenberg

Last modified Sep. 19 2024

Table of Contents

For hotels and travel businesses, social media is an essential channel for customer acquisition, engagement, and loyalty. When planning trips, 75% of people use social media as a source of inspiration. And nearly half choose Instagram-worthy destinations to show off their travels online.

So, how can your brand leverage this channel to influence travel decisions and get more bookings? In this article, we’ll cover how to use social media marketing to attract, engage, and convert customers via organic posts, social ads, user-generated content (UGC), and influencer marketing.

Overview of Social Media for Marketing and Branding

Social media marketing is all about building your brand, connecting with customers, and promoting your business on the platforms where your customer base spends time. With social media, you can reach your target audience at every stage of the funnel—from awareness to consideration to conversion to loyalty.

Whether you’re in a competitive hotel category or an emerging travel niche, social media is ideal for showcasing your unique brand identity. From the look of your photos to the feel of your videos to the tone of your captions, your brand’s identity can set it apart from the competition and attract customers across platforms.

For example, Holiday Inn Express uses multiple social channels to promote the hotel chain’s affordable rooms and free perks. In a Facebook post , the brand spotlights a hotel near a major sporting event, showcasing the convenient location, comfortable rooms, and complimentary breakfast.

In an Instagram post , the brand highlights free breakfast offerings, a unique selling point for the hotel.

In a TikTok video , the brand uses trending audio to create a meme about customers’ love for the hotel’s free cinnamon rolls.

How Social Media Can Influence Customer Decision-Making

From Facebook posts to Instagram Stories to TikTok videos, social media gives hotels and travel brands countless opportunities to influence travel decisions and guide customers toward a conversion.

One way to capture interest and inspire bookings is through storytelling. Weave compelling narratives with photos, videos, and words to give followers a feel for the destination and the experiences that await.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority uses Instagram stories to share experiences from a tourist’s point of view. The story below walks followers through a multi-course meal at upscale restaurant Wakuda, located inside The Venetian Resort.

No matter which format you opt to use, always aim to produce high-quality images and videos. When you prioritize visual appeal, you’ll have an easier time grabbing attention and holding interest as viewers scroll through their social media feeds.

On Facebook, Viking Cruises publishes eye-catching images with text overlays that quickly introduce the topic. The post below also includes several photos that give followers a glimpse of what to expect from the itinerary.

As a hotel or travel brand, you don’t always have to create original content for social media. Sometimes you can let customers do the talking.

When you share testimonials and reviews, you create social proof that has the power to influence customer behavior. Because 99.9% of consumers read reviews before making purchases online, sharing customer quotes on social media can positively impact followers’ travel choices.

In the Facebook post below , the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile quotes a happy hotel guest, shares their photos, and encourages followers to book a similar stay.

User reviews are just one way to let customers do the talking. Influencer collaborations can also help you share authentic experiences while boosting brand credibility and swaying customer decisions. We’ll discuss influencer marketing in depth below.

How Social Media Can Provide Direct Communication and Customer Engagement

One of the biggest benefits of social media is the opportunity it creates for two-way communication. No matter which social platforms your brand uses, you can use them to engage with customers and followers.

In many cases, you can communicate with customers in real-time. For example, you can:

Respond to customer questions via direct message (DM).
Engage with followers’ comments on your social media posts.
Provide customer support and assist with bookings.

To respond to customers more efficiently, use a unified social inbox . With Agorapulse, you can monitor comments and messages for all connected social profiles on a single browser tab. This means you can stay on top of all engagements without having to jump between tabs or sign in and out of accounts.

Agorapulse also supports saved replies . Create a library of responses to common questions or comments to reuse them easily. Before pressing “send,” personalize your reply or tailor your offer based on previous interactions with the customer.

On some social platforms, you have even more options for connecting with customers. For example, Facebook has groups that allow both brands and customers to post content and start conversations.

Instagram has broadcast channels where travel creators can share announcements and ask questions. Travel agent @disneywiththeminnies has a broadcast channel for sharing resources and polling followers.

Disney with the Minnies Instagram broadcast channel

On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you can reply with a video when a written comment won’t do your response justice. In the TikTok video below , @heather_thetravelagent responds to a follower’s question about the top Disney cruise ships.

Key Social Media Platforms for Hotel and Travel Businesses

Before you invest resources into creating social media content, make sure to choose the best platforms for your brand. Let’s take a look at a few of the most important social media channels for hotels and travel businesses.

Facebook is ideal for telling travel stories through photos, short-form reels, and long-form videos. Since this platform allows external links in posts, it’s also great for linking out to booking pages, special offers, or news.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company uses Facebook to announce new hotel locations and share links to resort landing pages. In all of its Facebook posts, the brand includes high-quality images to convey the upscale experiences that await at each hotel property.

To encourage customer loyalty, consider creating a Facebook group. There you can start discussions, members can ask questions, and your brand can reward loyal guests with special offers.

Sister travel businesses The Mouse for Less and The Magic for Less have a dedicated Facebook group for travelers interested in Disney and Universal Studios vacations. Members can use the group to learn about discounts and find resources to plan their trips.

If Millennials and Gen Z make up a large percentage of your target audience, plan to prioritize Instagram . Out of all social platforms, Instagram is the top choice for trip planning among these two groups.

Between feed posts, carousels with up to 20 images or videos, and short-form Reels, travel brands have plenty of options for visual storytelling. For example, you can create reels featuring mini-guides to destinations or carousels highlighting hotel amenities.

Lonely Planet uses both formats to publish visually appealing destination guides and travel tips. In the Lonely Planet Reel below, a travel editor walks viewers through a trip to Hong Kong, giving the guide a personal touch.

Because they automatically disappear in 24 hours, Instagram stories are ideal for sharing limited-time offers or less polished content that might not fit on your feed. Stories are also great for sharing UGC made by guests.

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar uses stories to share guests’ content. This approach is helpful for thanking creators and giving followers a glimpse of how their visits could look.

X certainly supports visual content. However, hotel and travel brands tend to use it less for storytelling and more for announcing news, sharing time-sensitive updates, and participating in travel-themed X chats.

The Royal Caribbean post below announces a travel award and shares several eye-catching images. But to read the full story, followers have to tap the link.

Norwegian Cruise Line also uses X to share external links and promote offers. In the X post below, the cruise line uses the platform’s poll feature to ask followers about their upcoming travel plans.

Some hotel and travel brands also use X to provide customer support, and some have dedicated profiles for this purpose. In the Choice Hotels post below, the hotel chain provides time-sensitive assistance for a guest.

Because both Gen Z and Millennials consider YouTube their second favorite platform for planning trips, it should be a priority for most hotel and travel brands. As a video-based platform, YouTube is ideal for creating immersive content like virtual hotel tours and complete destination guides.

Below, travel brand Attaché shares a long-form guide to the innovative food scene in Vilnius. The video description includes links to the brand’s other guides to Vilnius and nearby European cities, helping to boost views across the channel.

Another smart strategy for increasing video views on YouTube is collaborating with vloggers. When you work with vloggers, you can benefit from their talent and tap into their audience.

Travel creator Oneika Raymond hosts Marriott Bonvoy’s About the Journey series. In each episode, she welcomes various guests, who provide unique takes on destinations they know and love.

To maximize the visibility of your content, keep YouTube search engine optimization (SEO) basics in mind. Include keywords in video titles and descriptions to make them easier to discover via search. Experiment with thumbnails to determine which styles are best at attracting views.

As a short-form video platform, TikTok is best for publishing engaging videos and entertaining memes for younger audiences—mainly travelers aged 18 to 34 .

Expedia uses TikTok to share short videos featuring travel tips and 24-hour destination guides. The travel brand publishes content produced by accomplished travel vloggers, such as the guide to Reykjavik below.

When you create content for TikTok, keep trends in mind. Consider how you can make them relevant to your travel or hotel brand.

In the TikTok video below, Hilton shares the hotel brand’s take on the “things I’d win a gold medal in” viral trend. The brand also responds to top comments to build stronger relationships with followers.

Strategies for Effective Social Media Marketing

Whether you opt to focus on one or all of the platforms above, you need a social media marketing strategy to reach your goals. Use these tips to develop an organic and paid strategy for your hotel or travel brand.

Creating a content strategy

Before you begin creating content for social media, work with your team to set goals. Prioritize SMART social media goals , which are:

Specific : Clarify what you want to achieve and why.
Measurable : Choose a goal you can quantify so you’ll know when you’ve achieved it.
Attainable : Pick a goal you can realistically achieve, given your available resources.
Relevant : Focus on a goal that aligns with your organization’s business goals.
Timely : Set a time frame, including milestone dates for major goals.

For example, suppose your hotel brand aims to drive more business with social media to meet the organization’s quarterly sales goal. Your social media goal might be to secure 500 bookings before the end of the quarter using a mix of YouTube videos, Instagram reels, and Facebook posts.

Next, map out a content calendar that supports your goal. Make sure to consider key dates like seasonal sales, industry trends, and local events.

With Agorapulse’s publishing calendar, you can add notes with general ideas and drafts of posts in progress. You can also schedule posts for specific times or publish them immediately.

You can easily cross-post between social profiles, too. Just create a single post, select all the profiles where you want to publish, and customize as necessary. For example, you may want to add a link to Facebook posts or hashtags to Instagram posts.

Leveraging user-generated content

Content created by happy guests can sway travel decisions just as much as (or even more than) branded content. As a result, it’s a good idea to supplement your team’s original content with UGC.

To collect UGC, encourage guests to share their experiences. If you plan to share their content in the feed, ask for permission first. Then credit the original creator in the caption.

Rick Steves asks followers to share photos in the comments of Facebook posts. Travelers get to show off their trips, and the brand gets to collect UGC showing people visiting the landmarks featured on travel guide covers.

The Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya includes a hashtag in the hotel’s Instagram profile. When guests add the hashtag to their posts, the hotel can easily find the content and share it.

With Agorapulse, you never have to miss great UGC. When you set up a social listening search for your brand, you’ll get notified when an account mentions your profile or uses your hashtag on select social platforms.

To collect an even higher volume of UGC, incentivize guests. Consider running a contest that rewards guests for creating and sharing content. You might offer rewards points, a complimentary meal, or a free tour.

Collaborating with influencers

More than 40% of people take note of travel influencers when planning trips. In some markets (UAE, India, and Indonesia) influencers have an even greater impact on travel-related purchases.

No matter where your hotel is located or where your travel business is based, it’s worth experimenting with influencer marketing. The key is choosing influencers whose audiences align with your own and share similar interests, values, and demographics.

On Instagram, Viator partnered with Shawn Johnson to promote a tour of Paris. By recruiting the Olympian to promote the travel brand during the 2024 games, Viator made the collaboration both timely and relevant to its adventurous audience.

When you collaborate with influencers, make sure to set goals before launching the campaign. This way, you’ll be able to gauge whether the campaign is successful and make an informed decision about the next one.

Common influencer marketing goals include:

Attracting more social media followers
Getting views and increasing brand awareness
Generating bookings and sales, which you can measure via the influencer’s unique promo code

Paid advertising and promotions

To reach more ambitious social media marketing goals, consider using ads. Even with a small budget, you can create a marketing funnel that attracts new customers and guides them toward a conversion.

With brand awareness campaigns, you can introduce your hotel or travel brand to a new audience and generate interest. Then, you can use remarketing campaigns to target people who have engaged with your brand or content.

However, each social platform requires its own unique strategy. On YouTube, test a mix of vertical short-form video ads and longer in-stream ads. On Facebook and Instagram, experiment with both video and image ads.

Monitor the results closely to measure ad campaign results. In addition to tracking conversions, pay attention to metrics like impressions and clicks.

Based on your findings, iterate on your ads. For example, if your video ads have a lot of views and clicks but few conversions, experiment with another offer or optimize your landing page.

Measuring Success and Adapting Strategies

The best way to confirm whether your social media strategy is successful is to measure the results. Use these guidelines to measure organic results, create social media reports , and adapt your social media strategy.

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

It’s tempting to monitor all available social media metrics. However, the most important metrics to measure are the ones that align with the goals and KPIs your team set when developing your strategy.

Some of the most useful metrics to measure include:

Audience growth : Measure follower growth.
Brand awareness : Monitor impressions, video views, and mentions.
Engagement : Track likes, comments, shares, and saves.
Conversions : Measure clicks and conversions like bookings and reservations.
Return on investment (ROI) : Monitor revenue and ROI from conversions.
Sentiment : Track positive and negative customer sentiment .

Analyzing social media data

You can certainly monitor metrics for each social profile using native tools. However, checking separate social media platforms tends to be overly time-consuming, especially if you monitor multiple profiles or brands.

With Agorapulse, you can track KPIs for all your social profiles in one place. Our social media management platform tracks everything from audience growth and impressions to engagement and brand awareness. As a result, you can easily see whether you’ve reached your KPIs.

Agorapulse Facebook engagement report

When you connect your brand’s Google Analytics 4 account to Agorapulse, you can track conversions, too. Our social ROI reports show all conversions attributed to social media, including breakdowns by channel, profile, campaign, and even content type. This way, you know exactly how much value your efforts are generating.

Agorapulse ROI report

Since Agorapulse offers competitive reports, you can spot trends and see how your social media performance has changed over months, quarters, or years. With these insights, you can make data-driven decisions to refine your strategy and improve your results.

Continuous improvement

Social media marketing isn’t something you can set up to run in the background without oversight. To succeed with social media, you have to stay on top of trends and aim to keep improving your results.

To monitor trends, follow industry outlets like Social Media Today . It’s also worth following the social profiles and blogs of the platforms your brand uses. For example, the Instagram blog shares announcements and tips.

When new features and content types launch, plan to experiment with them. Some may not work for your audience. But when you find any that do, you can include them in your content strategy.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the competition. Copying their approach is never a good idea. But they can provide inspiration and give you ideas for approaches to try with your audience.

Final Thoughts on Social Media for Hotel and Travel Businesses

Whether you want to grow your customer base, inspire travel, or book more reservations, a strong social media strategy is key. With a mix of organic and paid content, UGC, and influencer partnerships, you can build relationships with followers, attract loyal customers, and get more business.

To manage these moving parts effectively, you need the right tool. As a complete social media management solution, Agorapulse is the only tool you need. Agorapulse handles everything from scheduling content and managing engagement to social listening and social analytics for all your social profiles.

Elevate Your Hotel and Travel Business with Social Media: Strategic Insights for Decision Makers

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The Case Study: Booking.com – Tourism Marketing Strategy

Booking.com, the world’s largest online travel agency, has been using social media as part of its tourism marketing strategy since 2009. The company uses paid and organic tactics to reach its target audience on various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

In recent years, Booking.com has increased its focus on visual content, mainly through Instagram. The company has also used influencers in its tourism marketing strategy to reach new audiences and promote its brand.

Booking.com’s tourism marketing strategy on social media has helped it build a strong presence online and connect with travelers worldwide. The company has also used social media to drive bookings and grow its business.

This case study will look at how the company uses social media to reach and engage customers. In addition, It will also discuss some of the tourism marketing tactics it uses to boost its online presence.

Additionally, you can create a travel flyer with PhotoADKing that boost tourism marketing easily.

So, if you’re looking for some inspiration for your social media campaign, be sure to check out this case study!

About Booking.com

Source: Booking

Booking.com is a travel fare aggregator website and travel metasearch engine for lodging reservations. It is owned and operated by Booking Holdings, the largest online travel company globally. The website is available in 43 languages.

Founded in 1996 as Booking.com BV, it was acquired in 2005 by Priceline Group.

Booking.com offers travelers a wide variety of accommodation options, from hotels and apartments to vacation rentals and hostels. Travelers can also find activities, tours, and transportation options on Booking.com and mobile apps.

In 2018, Booking.com was ranked as the second most valuable brand in the travel industry, behind only Expedia Group.

In July 2019, Booking.com had 697 million visits and an 87% rating as a top company in terms of mobile experience.

The Tourism Marketing Strategy Behind Booking.com’s Online Success

Online communities are a great way to connect with your audience and engage them in meaningful ways. In order to keep your followers engaged on social media, you need to use the right tactics.

If there’s one brand that’s mastered this art, it’s Booking.com. In order to build trust and communicate directly with a large international client base, an online travel agency must work hard. With their tourism marketing plan, they focus on the customer while using powerful storytelling techniques. Additionally, if you run a travel agency, a tourist brochure can be a helpful addition to your tourism marketing strategy.

Due to the popularity of its social media accounts, Booking.com’s content strategy is clearly working.

And it’s easy to see why. Each piece of content is well-planned, carefully crafted, and tailored to the audience. No matter what their followers want to see, Booking.com’s marketing team knows what they want and how to deliver it.

Booking.com Tourism Marketing Strategy for Facebook

Source: Facebook

Travel booking website Booking.com has over a billion visitors per year, with a rapidly increasing user base.

One of the keys to their success has been their tourism marketing strategy on social media platforms like Facebook. Through interactive posts, contests, and giveaways, their marketing team engages with users and creates content relevant to their target audience.

Facebook’s Book.com page has more than 15 million fans and extremely high engagement rates. Storytelling can lead to a sense of belonging when people see their company’s values or mission statement through rose-colored glasses.

Some of Booking.com’s Most Successful Tourism Marketing Tactics for Facebook include:

Creating visually appealing and engaging content is essential for any business, but it is crucial for companies that rely on online bookings, like Booking.com. The company uses high-quality images and videos optimized for different mobile devices to attract users’ attention and encourage them to share the content with others.
Booking.com’s Facebook page is an excellent example of tourism marketing as it uses visuals to engage potential customers. Pictures of destinations worldwide and videos take you behind the scenes of staying in one of the company’s hotels.
Encouraging interaction and engagement through contests and giveaways. Booking.com hosts regular online contests to offer users prizes like free hotel stays and flight vouchers. Tourism marketing tactics also encourage people to share their contest entries on Facebook, increasing their chances of winning.
One unique feature that makes the Booking.com Facebook page stand out is its highly interactive. Booking.com usually replies to users to their comments, often personalizing responses to each user. Interaction in their tourism marketing has earned a loyal following and positioned it as the most customer-focused travel site online.

With its well-rounded travel marketing strategy on Facebook, Booking.com has grown its business significantly, becoming one of the most popular travel booking websites.

Booking.com on Instagram

Source: Instagram

On Instagram, this brand shares all kinds of content related to traveling and exploring new places, be it videos or pictures. The visuals are always immaculate, with just enough editing to bring out the best of each photo or video.

This tourism marketing strategy is very similar to the one used on Facebook, with a mix of content that inspires users to travel and use Bookin.com’s services. However, the brand does make good use of the Instagram platform by utilizing features such as carousels and reels from time to time.

As a whole, Booking.com’s Instagram page is very well managed and provides its followers with great content that stimulates them to explore more of the world.

Booking.com on YouTube

Source: YouTube

One series that will catch our eye is Booking.com’s “Local Guides.” This series features locals from various towns who show off the best places to visit in their hometowns. Each host has a unique story about why their neighborhood is particular and what makes it such a great place to stay.

What you will love most about these videos is how personal and relatable they feel – it’s like getting travel advice from a friend!

The Most Powerful Tourism Marketing Campaigns of Booking.com

Booking.com is one of the world’s leading online travel agencies, helping millions of travelers daily to find the perfect hotel. But what makes Booking.com so successful?

Booking.com knows how to get people talking when it comes to social media. The travel company has run many successful travel marketing campaigns online, using innovative strategies to engage and promote its brand.

Booking.com has some of the most creative and effective social media campaigns in the industry, reaching a broad audience and driving significant results.

Here are just a few examples of Booking.com’s most successful tourism marketing campaigns:

#BackToTravel

With the early signs of a global slowdown in 2020, many people were worried that they would have to put their travel plans on hold. But Booking.com launched a campaign called #BackToTravel to help people get excited about traveling again and reclaim their love for exploring new places.

This tourism marketing campaign included a co-content created with popular influencers who shared stories of thrilling adventures from all over the world and tips and advice on planning a successful trip. It also featured inspiring content on Instagram highlighting beautiful destinations and must-visit attractions, helping people get back into the travel mindset.

By encouraging people to pick up where they left off before the downturn hit, Booking.com helped millions of travelers worldwide reconnect with the joys of traveling.

#AmericaIsForEveryone

Booking.com launched a new tourism marketing campaign on social media called #AmericaIsForEveryone.

A travel marketing campaign aimed to inspire people across the United States by acknowledging how different cultures and communities worldwide live. The company did this by partnering with various organizations and groups representing different demographics in America.

One example is their partnership with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. This organization works to protect the civil rights of Asian Americans and to advance their community’s civic engagement. Booking.com featured Asian American businesses on their site and shared stories about how these businesses are thriving.

This tourism marketing campaign is just one example of how Booking.com is committed to diversity and inclusion. The company has a long history of supporting various communities around the world. And they continue to find new ways to show their support.

#BookingHero

The #BookingHero, a tourism marketing campaign, is all about bringing people together. Starting from the simple idea that what makes traveling memorable are the people we meet along the way, Booking.com challenged travelers to share their stories and nominate their #BookingHero: an individual who works at their accommodation and goes above and beyond to make their trip unforgettable.

Whether it’s a bartender who gives stellar travel advice, a hotel concierge who takes you on off-the-radar adventures, or just another guest staying at your hostel who turns out to be your new best friend, no one knows better than travelers themselves what makes a trip worth taking.

With the #BookingHero tourism marketing campaign, Booking.com recognizes these unsung heroes in the travel industry by highlighting the individuals behind some of the most memorable travel experiences.

Role of Videos in Their Travel Marketing Campaigns

Booking.com has used videos very creatively in its tourism marketing campaigns as part of its social media marketing strategy, which has helped boost its reach and engagement levels.

Their tourism marketing video campaign features short videos that showcase different destinations worldwide. The videos are meant to inspire audiences to travel. They are highly popular with audiences.

In addition to using video in their various campaigns, Booking.com has also utilized other social media platforms for this tourism marketing to reach out to potential customers. The company has an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and they regularly post updates and offers on these platforms.

Overall, Booking.com has successfully used social media to reach new customers and promote its brand. The company’s use of video campaigns has been particularly effective, which is likely to continue.

Marketing Budget of Booking.com

Booking.com is a subsidiary of Booking Holdings Inc.

The company has seen its marketing expenses increase sharply in recent years, reaching 3.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. This represents an increase of 74 percent over the previous year, after a sharp decline in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Booking.com’s marketing budget is the largest in the travel industry, and they’re constantly innovating marketing strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

Booking.com’s secret to success during this challenging time appears to be its aggressive marketing campaigns and its focus on providing a great customer experience. The company has also been quick to adapt to the changing travel landscape, offering new services such as contactless check-in and virtual tours of hotels.

Booking.com has also focused its tourism marketing strategy on storytelling to compete in this competitive digital space. Though, beyond pricing, room selection, and easy-to-use products, the brand knows that consumers are also looking for a story.

Therefore, to stand out from the competition, Booking.com has worked to create content that reaches more audiences organically. Moreover, the brand’s social media channels are full of images and videos showing different destinations worldwide.

And, while other travel brands might provide a list of hotels in a given city, Booking.com goes one step further by suggesting specific experiences and sights that users can enjoy during their stay. In this case, Booking.com has built a strong relationship with its customers by demonstrating the high value it places on their travel experience.

About Jignesh Kakadiya

Jignesh Kakadiya is an SEO guy. He is interested in a wide range of spheres from graphic design to content marketing and new technologies. If you are interested in graphic design or the SaaS industry, you can find him on Twitter & LinkedIn, or other social media. Read and take over Jignesh’s useful insights!

DOI: 10.1080/15980634.2012.11434654
Corpus ID: 142955027

A Case Study of Social Media Marketing by Travel Agency: The Salience of Social Media Marketing in the Tourism Industry

Jongpil Park , Ickkeun Oh
Published 1 January 2012
International Journal of Tourism Sciences

44 Citations

The challenges of implementing social media marketing in the tourism industry: a systematic review, reflections of destinations on social media, social media technologies in the tourism industry: an analysis with special reference to their role in sustainable tourism development, social media marketing in the retail industry: a conceptual framework on benefits, challenges and strategies, a review on social media as a new venue for promoting culinary destinations, social media and hotel e-marketing in iran: the case of parsian international hotels, dimensions of social media marketing capabilities and their contribution to business performance of firms in thailand, country-based comparison of accommodation brands in social media: an fsqca approach, social media use in pre-trip planning by tourists visiting a small regional leisure destination, tourism marketing: opportunities and challenges of online modes, 22 references, investigation of social media marketing: how does the hotel industry in hong kong perform in marketing on social media websites, can you measure the roi of your social media marketing, usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: an exploratory investigation of small and medium b2b brands, marketing to the social web: how digital customer communities build your business, effects of word-of-mouth versus traditional marketing: findings from an internet social networking site, a model for understanding social commerce, understanding digital marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation, deriving value from social commerce networks, socialnomics: how social media transforms the way we live and do business, how and why people twitter: the role that micro-blogging plays in informal communication at work, related papers.

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CASE STUDY: SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR TRAVEL INDUSTRY

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR TRAVEL INDUSTRY-Aarna Systems

How Aarna Systems helped Sangitam Travels establish strong Social Media Presence

Sangitam Travels is one of the pioneer players of bus transportation services in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. They run various buses starting from Jalgaon to multiple cities. Sangitam Travels focus on providing world-class comfortable services to ensure customer satisfaction and guarantee safe and memorable journeys. They have served more than a million passengers over the years.

Being a three-decades-old legacy, they wanted to adapt to the modern era by connecting to people on Social Media. They felt the need for leveraging their social media efforts as the competition has significantly increased in the past few years. The same billboards, pamphlets are less effective without a strong social media presence. This is what motivated Sangitam Travels to take a step beyond having a business website. The company approached us for Social Media Marketing (SMM) Services. Their requirements were very clear to us. Good social media engagement can bridge the communication gap and keep their target audience informed, engaged, and ultimately help businesses gain profits via social media presence and blogs for basic Search Engine Optimization purposes.

The direct competitors of Sangitam Travels did not have a strong social media presence. It was an advantage, and a challenge as the target audience was not aware of such travel brands’ presence on social media. However, we picked the brighter side and decided to plan their social media strategy. The challenge on the creative front was to communicate in the target audience’s preferred language effectively. In this case, the Khandeshi language (spoken in the Khandesh region, wedged between the territory of Bhili and Marathi) was required. The client wanted to use less English and more Khandeshi language touch across social media channels to target region-specific travellers.

OUR DIGITAL APPROACH

At Aarna Systems, we believe in tailor-made digital marketing strategies as per the client’s business needs. Our team came up with creative social media content & posting calendar for Sangitam’s official Facebook handle. We paid special attention to stand out and grab the eyeballs with powerful and relatable social media content. Our posts were very interactive in nature. Like we mentioned about language, our content creators added the tinge of creativity to the creatives in Khandeshi & Marathi language social media posts. We were clear about one thing from the beginning -We must persuade the target audience to successfully connect with the content and respond to Sangitam’s posts in a very effortless way.

As we began with our social media marketing plan, we observed that the audience is very interactive, and the scope is not limited to bus schedule updates or routes. This is where we decided to go steps further and improve user engagement with every post. People started relating to the posts, and lots of likes, comments poured in. We also helped in elevating the brand recall value using innovative and situational content. Our social media strategy brought many unique likes and shares within a few days of starting the project. On the business front, Sangitam experienced growth in sales. Many travellers also suggested new routes they would like to travel with Sangitam. Well, we can say the trust factor got elevated amongst the regular and new travellers due to the company’s excellent service accompanied by an engaging social media presence.

Here are some creative social media posts that received good responses on Facebook. Have a look.

Social media strategy India - Aarna Systems

Today, Sangitam Travels has around 8750+ followers on Facebook. Their Facebook posts enjoy great reach, impressions and actions. Due to the months-long lockdown, Sangitam Travels services had to take a break from being in the travel industry. However, with the help of strong social media marketing efforts before lockdown, the company got an edge over competitors and passed the lockdown period swiftly. The negative impact on social media popularity is negligible. Indeed, a brand that invests in digital marketing in advance reaps excellent benefits!

A good mix of social media content calendar and d igital marketing strategy is one of the leading reasons people trust Sangitam Travels today. Being a leading Digital Marketing Company in India , experts at Aarna Systems suggest the scope of Sangitam Travels is vast. Social Media is just the first step towards digital and brand success.

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20 Best Social Media Marketing Case Study Examples

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How would you like to read the best social media marketing case studies ever published?

More importantly, how would you like to copy the best practices in social media marketing that are based on real-world examples and not just theory?

Below, you’ll find a list of the top 20 social media case study examples along with the results and key findings. By studying these social media marketing studies and applying the lessons learned on your own accounts, you can hopefully achieve similar results.

Social Media Case Study Examples

793,500+ impressions for semrush on twitter – walker sands social media case study, viral oreo super bowl tweet – social media case study.

This is a popular case study to learn valuable insights for B2C marketing. During Super Bowl XLVII, the lights went out in the football stadium and the Oreo brand went viral with a single tweet that said “Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark.” Read the historical account of that famous social media marketing moment from the people who lived through it so you can gather ideas on how to be better prepared for future social media campaigns that you can take advantage of in real-time.

Facebook Posting Strategy That Lead to 3X Reach & Engagement – Buffer Social Media Case Study

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5X Increase In App Installs from TikTok – Bumble Social Media Case Study

With the use of TikTok on the rise, social media case studies are now being shared about how to get the most value out of marketing on this platform. This one, in particular, is good to read because it explains how Bumble, a dating app, used TikTok more effectively by following the mantra, “Don’t Make Ads, Make TikToks”. This case study in social media marketing resulted in a 5X increase in app installs and a 64% decrease in cost-per-registration.

330% Increase In Reach for the Make a Wish Foundation – Disney Social Media Case Study

Check out this case study to find out how the Make-A-Wish Foundation increased its social media reach, audience, and engagement by partnering with Disney in a Share Your Ears campaign. The strategy was simple: ask people to take a photo of themselves wearing Mickey Mouse ears, post it on social media with the hashtag #ShareYouEars, and a $5 donation would be made to Make-A-Wish. The results were unbelievable with over 1.7 million posted photos and 420 million social media impressions. This led to a 15% audience increase on Facebook and a 13% audience increase on Instagram with a total increase of 330% in social media reach and a 554% increase in engagement during the campaign.

How 3 Schools Used Social Media Advertising to Increase Website Traffic & Applications – Social Media Case Study

Client case studies – lyfe marketing social media case study.

LYFE Marketing is a social media management company that helps clients gain new customers, generate sales, and increase brand exposure online. This page includes several of its top social media marketing case studies along with the approach and key results from each campaign. It’s packed with screenshots of the social media posts and engagement metrics so you can understand how each strategy worked for success, and get inspiration for your own campaigns.

3X Leads for a Local Business – Vertex Marketing Social Media Case Study

This is a good case study about finding the right balance between organic reach with social media posts and paid reach with social media marketing ads. You’ll find out how Vertex Marketing helped a local kitchen and bath remodeling business increase the number of leads by 3X. As for the return on investment (ROI) for this campaign, each lead for the client was worth about $10,000. The result was 6,628 audience reach, $12.43 average cost per conversion, and 18 conversions.

235% Increase In Conversions with Facebook Ads Funnel – Marketing 360 Social Media Case Study

This is one of Marketing 360’s case study examples that demonstrates the effectiveness of a Facebook ads sales funnel for B2B marketing. An ads funnel is a series of social media advertisements that target a specific audience at each stage of the buyer’s journey. By mapping out the buyer’s journey and creating a social media marketing ad campaign for each stage, you can guide new leads through the sales funnel and turn them into paying customers. This case study resulted in a 235% increase in conversions for a truck lift manufacturer.

15% Increase In Social Media Followers In 6 Months – Hootsuite Social Media Case Study

This is one of the best social media marketing case studies available online for businesses in the hospitality industry. Find out how Meliá Hotels International incorporated social media directly into its business model, both as a channel for client communication and as a platform to listen and learn about client needs and preferences. As a result, Meliá Hotel’s social media following grew from 5 million to 6 million in six months; an increase of more than 15%.

The Impact of Social Signals On SEO – Fat Stacks Social Media Case Study

This is a good case study for understanding the effect social media can have on SEO. By building links for a web page on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc, the rankings for long tail keywords improved in Google’s search engine.

96 Link Clicks for a Vacation Rental – Maria Peagler Social Media Case Study

As the title of this social media case study example suggests, you’ll learn how Maria Peagler helped a vacation rental get 96 clicks out of 3,274 audience reach on a single Facebook ad; about a 2.9% click-through rate (CTR). What’s most important about this B2C example is those clicks were of the highest quality the client could receive because Maria dug into the analytics to find out the best time during the day to post the ad and the perfect age groups to target while also using specific language to only drive clicks that would more likely convert.

Vienna Tourist Board Uses an Instagram Wall to Attract Tourists – Walls.io Social Media Case Study

Complete instagram marketing strategy for sixthreezero – vulpine interactive social media case study.

This is an in-depth case study on social media marketing with Instagram. You’ll discover how Vulpine Interactive was able to turn an existing, unmanaged account into a strong company asset for Sixthreezero, a bicycling company that uses ecommerce to drive sales. There was a lot of strategy and planning that went into growing the account by 39%, increasing website traffic from Instagram by over 300%, and achieving 77,659 total engagements. Inside, you’ll get the complete social strategy, tactics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and results

Twitter Marketing Success Stories – Social Media Case Study

How 3 big brands use pinterest for marketing – smartinsights social media case study.

This is a case study page by SmartInsights with an overview of how 3 big brands use Pinterest for marketing. Although it’s a quick read, you can learn some valuable tactics that Nordstrom, Sephora, and Petplan are using to market their brands on this social media platform.

25+ TikTok Social Campaign Results – Chatdesk Social Media Case Study

Reddit for business: meet your maker – social media case study.

Want to learn how to use Reddit to market your business online? This new social media marketing case study page by Reddit called “Meet Your Maker” showcases the people behind some of the most innovative and creative brand activations on our platform. Examples include campaigns by Adobe, Capcom, and noosa Yoghurt.

How Boston University Uses Snapchat to Engage with Students – Social Media Case Study

With more than 75% of college students using Snapchat on a daily basis, it became clear that Boston University had to make this platform a primary marketing channel. This social media case study outlines all of the top strategies Boston University uses to connect with prospective and current students.

What Is a Social Media Case Study?

A social media case study is an in-depth study of social media marketing in a real-world context. It can focus on one social media tactic or a group of social media strategies to find out what works in social media marketing to promote a product or service.

Are Case Studies Good for Social Media Marketing?

Summary for social media marketing case studies.

I hope you enjoyed this list of the best social media marketing case study examples that are based on real-world results and not just theory.

As you discovered, the social media case studies above demonstrated many different ways to perform well on social platforms. By studying the key findings from these case study examples, and applying the methods learned to your own accounts, you can hopefully achieve the same positive outcome. New social media case studies are being published every month and I’ll continue to update this list as they become available. So keep checking back to read the current sources of information on social media.

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A Case Study on the First Amendment Defense for Entertainment Industry Employers

The First Amendment traditionally offers robust protections for expressive employers, such as those in the entertainment and media industries, allowing them to control casting and messaging. In California, however, these protections are weighed against the state’s robust employment laws for employees’ political activity. This tension is at the heart of the Carano v. The Walt Disney Company case, and the prominent film company is moving to certify the case as an interlocutory appeal to be heard before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit because the matter presents fundamental constitutional questions in an area where the Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit are regularly issuing new precedents.

In Carano , the plaintiff alleges her former employer violated California law that protects employees who are politically active outside of their workplace from retaliation. She also claims the company wrongfully discharged her from employment due to her political views, and finally alleges she was subjected to sex based discrimination because her male co-stars didn’t face repercussions for their political speech on social media.

In July 2024, a federal court in California denied the film company’s motion to dismiss against an actor from the hit show, the Mandalorian , raising the question of whether an entertainment employer’s First Amendment rights provides strong enough protections in employment disputes. The district court noted that California’s employment laws, which offer broad protections for employees, could limit First Amendment defenses, but also noted that the First Amendment protects speech that occurs in entertainment as well. Specifically, there was debate from the district court over whether an entertainment company’s artistic freedom justifies terminating an actor for off-the-job social media posts, especially when those posts are not directly related to the show itself.

Key Arguments from an Expressive Entity

Disney argues that casting decisions are an integral part of its artistic expression, protected by the First Amendment, which protects individuals and organizations from government actions that infringe on free speech. As “entities that do create speech products,” Disney asserts it enjoys the right to make “decisions about what to say in [its] own art and how to say it,” including by selecting the individuals who perform or otherwise create that art. It contends that lawsuits challenging these decisions would chill artistic freedom, relying on precedents like Supreme Court decisions Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000) and Green v. Miss United States of America (2022), and a recent decision out of the Southern District of New York, Moore v. Hadestown Broadway Ltd. Liability Co. (2024), all of which affirm that expressive entities have the right to control the message they convey to the public, including by choosing which individuals represent them.

In Dale , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts, as an expressive entity, had the right under the First Amendment to exclude an openly gay group leader (Dale) whose presence, due to his public advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, would conflict with the group’s message. The Court held that forcing the organization to retain Dale would interfere with the group’s right to freedom of expressive entity, as it would impair its ability to express its intended values and beliefs. Similarly, Disney claims that as a public figure, the plaintiff’s social media interferes with the Company’s artistic expression and that retaining her would compromise its message of inclusivity and respect. Disney argues that Dale should apply here because an actor, like a boy scout group leader, represents the entity’s public persona. Thus, Dale provides that the “First Amendment must give deference to an entity’s assertions regarding the nature of its expression” along with the entity’s view of what would impair its expression, including a state’s employment laws with respect to casting decisions.

In Green v. Miss United States of America , the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of the pageant organizer’s First Amendment right to exclude a transgender contestant from the competition. The court held that as an expressive entity, the pageant was allowed to enforce its interpretation of femininity and exclude individuals who did not meet its criteria, affirming that First Amendment protections extend to private companies’ creative decisions. Disney’s defense hinges on this principle: just as the pageant defined its concept of femininity, Disney contends it should have the freedom to choose who represents its productions.

In Moore v. Hadestown Broadway Ltd. Liability Co., the Southern District of New York dismissed a complaint of race discrimination at the pleading stage. The court found that the First Amendment protected a Broadway theater production’s right to cast actors of certain races based on the producer’s view of the effect of casting on the artistic works’ expressive content. The plaintiff was a Black actor who alleged she was cast to be in the “workers chorus” but then fired so that the chorus could be more racially diverse. The show made this decision because it was concerned that the show would appear as a “white savior story” if the chorus was all Black and the two stars Orpheus and Hades were white, which was not the intended message of the show’s creators. The court held “Hadestown’s creative decisions about what story to tell when it stages the Musical [including casting] fall squarely within the protection of the First Amendment.”

By comparison, the Eleventh Circuit recently rejected Fearless Fund Management LLC’s First Amendment defense in a legal challenge to its grant contest for Black female entrepreneurs. In doing so, the court held that Fearless Fund violated Section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act’s prohibition on giving race-based preferences in contracts and exceeded First Amendment protections for expressive conduct. Although Fearless Fund argued that its grant contest was charitable giving protected expressive conduct and not a contract, the court found the program likely overstepped free speech protections because it did not entertain applications from business owners who weren’t Black or female.

Broader Implications for Employers that Are Expressive Entities

For employers, including those in the media and entertainment industry, the dispute is not one of whether a termination or employment decision is wrongful, but rather as one of the right of expressive entities to control their message. The Carano case exemplifies how the First Amendment defense could expand to include off-the-job conduct that threatens the creative voice of the expressive employer.

In an age where actors’ personal social media activity often intertwines with their public persona, entertainment companies face new challenges in managing their brand. Disney argues that an employee’s off-the-job social media behavior can directly impact its brand and artistic message. “The message of any performative art cannot be decoupled from its major performers — a principle even more salient today, when so many performers develop their own strong public personalities through extensive online activity,” Disney wrote. “The [lower] court’s contrary ruling misconstrues both scope of artistic expression and the First Amendment's limitations on state interference with such expression — or so a reasonable jurist could conclude.”

The case also demonstrates that workplace policies must be enforced in an equitable way. The plaintiff’s sex discrimination claim is based on the allegation that her male co-stars posted their political opinions on social media without any consequences. An important recommended practice is that employers apply all policies and rules in a consistent, uniform, and non-discriminatory manner.

The key takeaway for entertainment employers is to watch whether the Ninth Circuit will hear the case and, if it does, how it will resolve the conflict between employment laws and artistic expression. A ruling in Disney’s favor could secure (again) the First Amendment defense, allowing employers more control over employees’ public statements when they affect the company’s expressive goal and image. Alternatively, a ruling favoring the plaintiff might signal the need for employers to create more nuanced employment policies that govern off-the-job conduct.

Regardless of whether the case is heard at the Ninth Circuit, for entertainment and media employers, this evolving legal landscape will require close attention where employee social media activity blurs personal and professional lines.

Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.

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CASE STUDY: How Social Media Is Changing Travel
ForeverVacation is a tour company that analyzes over 2,000 private tours in Southeast Asia and shows how social media influences travelers' choices, preferences and behaviors. Learn how Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp and influencers shape the way we travel today.
Travel Social Media Marketing Best Practices and Case Studies
Learn how to use social media platforms to inspire, engage, and convert travelers with best practices and case studies. Find out how to choose the right platforms, create engaging content, utilize paid advertising, and monitor analytics.
Top 10 Travel and Tourism Marketing Case Studies [2024]
Case Study 1: Expedia's Travel Yourself Interesting. Company Overview: Expedia, founded in 1995, revolutionized the travel industry by moving travel booking online, displacing traditional high-street travel agents. ... This concept was created through a multi-channel approach, utilizing television, online films, social media, and the hashtag ...
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However, qualitative studies that take an inductive approach to identify the roles of social media by investigating how social media affect travel choices are limited. By interviewing 21 tourists who had recently taken trips, this article aimed to identify the roles that social media played in the tourists' choices of six travel components ...
How to set up a travel social media marketing strategy
Learn how to set up a travel social media marketing strategy that targets different generations, stages of the purchase cycle and social networks. Find out how to use user-generated content, ads, reviews and more to grow your travel or hospitality brand.
The impact of social media influencers on travel decisions: the role of
The growing presence of social media influencers (SMIs) is increasingly modulating consumer behaviour in the travel industry. Trust is a vitally important topic in influencer and tourism marketing and is responsible for creating and maintaining successful long-term relationships between organizations and consumers.
Case Study: the Social Media Use of Travel Bloggers
This study aims to explore how travel blogs incorporate social media to increase effectiveness when engaging in destination campaigns. Using two travel blogs as the cases, ThePlanetD.com and TravelsofAdam.com, this research is designed in the multiple-case study format. For each blogger: a campaign was selected, social media content related to ...
Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Social media is fundamentally changing the way travellers and tourists search, find, read and trust, as well as collaboratively produce information about tourism suppliers and tourism destinations. Presenting cutting-edge theory, research and case studies investigating Web 2.0 applications and tools that transform the role and behaviour of the ...
Social Media in Travel and Tourism, 2021 Update
Several case studies are included to analyze the multiple ways travel companies, and DMO's have identified social media opportunities within the market. Our unique thematic analysis then looks at recommendations for travel and tourism organizations providing a deep dive into the leaders and laggards within the social media spectrum, complete ...
Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
Social media is fundamentally changing the way travellers and tourists search, find, read and trust, as well as collaboratively produce information about tourism suppliers and tourism destinations. Presenting cutting-edge theory, research and case studies investigating Web 2.0 applications and tools that transform the role and behaviour of the new generation of travellers, this book also ...
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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 ...
The Role of Social Media in Generation Y Travel Decision-Making Process
It was also important to define the purpose of activity in social media (SM). Studies have shown the emergence of goals not yet declared among young SM users. One of the main goals of a trip is to report and share travel content in social media. ... "The Role of Social Media in Generation Y Travel Decision-Making Process (Case Study in Poland ...
Case Study: How Booking.com influencer campaign engaged consumers and
Booking.com engaged with five influencers to share their travel goals for 2021 and inspire followers to do the same. The campaign aimed to redefine travel in the digital era and reach over 6 crore people through social media.
Social Media and Destination Branding in Tourism: A Systematic Review
The case study is a method used in combination with others among our collected publications. It is also clear that the interview as a research method was used less frequently during the period of social distancing. ... Gretzel, U. Influencer marketing in travel and tourism. In Advances in Social Media for Travel, Tourism and Hospitality ...
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A Case Study of Social Media Marketing by Travel Agency: The Salience
Abstract Social media marketing plays an increasingly important role in the hotel and tourism industry. This study examines how social networking services, microblogs and social commerce sites are used in the field of tourism in a case study of KAL (Korean Airline) Tour, one of the leading travel agencies based in Korea. This study shows that companies make a substantial amount of profits from ...
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A Case Study of Social Media Marketing by Travel Agency: The Salience
Abstract. Social media marketing plays an increasingly important role in the hotel and tourism industry. This study examines how social networking services, microblogs and social commerce sites are used in the field of tourism in a case study of KAL (Korean Airline) Tour, one of the leading travel agencies based in Korea.
A Case Study on the First Amendment Defense for Entertainment Industry
The Ninth Circuit might consider whether an entertainment employer's First Amendment rights provides a strong enough defense in an employment dispute involving off-duty social media posts.This case highlights the conflict between an employee's lawful, off-duty political expression and an employer's brand integrity.The First Amendment traditionally offers robust protections for
Revolutionizing Fitness on the Go! A Case Study of MAXPRO Fitness
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CASE STUDY: How Social Media Is Changing The Way We Travel (By The Numbers)

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Case Study: How Booking.com influencer campaign engaged consumers and attempted to re-define #FutureOfTravel

With the evolving world, Booking.com released its engagement campaign while leveraging 5 influencers who attempted to re-define the #FutureOfTravel, driving conversations around hope and optimism in the digital era.

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Elevate Your Hotel and Travel Business with Social Media: Strategic Insights for Decision Makers

Overview of Social Media for Marketing and Branding

How Social Media Can Influence Customer Decision-Making

How Social Media Can Provide Direct Communication and Customer Engagement

Key Social Media Platforms for Hotel and Travel Businesses

Strategies for Effective Social Media Marketing

Creating a content strategy

Leveraging user-generated content

Collaborating with influencers

Paid advertising and promotions

Measuring Success and Adapting Strategies

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Analyzing social media data

Continuous improvement

Final Thoughts on Social Media for Hotel and Travel Businesses

The Case Study: Booking.com – Tourism Marketing Strategy

About Booking.com

The Tourism Marketing Strategy Behind Booking.com’s Online Success

Booking.com Tourism Marketing Strategy for Facebook

Some of Booking.com’s Most Successful Tourism Marketing Tactics for Facebook include: