Travel industry must go social to satisfy demand

Businesses in the travel and tourism sector aren't maximising the value of social media - despite an increasing number of customers showing their support for the medium, a report suggests.

According to a survey of travel providers carried out by transaction and technology provider Amadeus UK, more than half of holidaymakers consult social media prior to consulting travel agencies (52 per cent).

However, just 40 per cent of travel agencies actually have any social media presence online, demonstrating a disproportionate amount of support for its customers' preference to seek out information in this way.

Most travellers (67 per cent) admitted that they would make use of social media to book their travel options in future, whether that be choice of hotel or travel provider.

Rob Golledge, head of marketing and communications at Amadeus UK, says that the sheer amount of information available on social network remains the biggest obstacle for businesses embracing the platform.

However, agencies that have been quick to employ social media marketing for sales, or even research purposes, have experienced positive results, he says.

"Travel agencies have been quick to identify the positives that come from using social media to engage with customers and generate new business," Golledge explained, reports Travolution.co.uk.

"Our research shows that many acknowledge the potential role which social media can play in the travel industry. But if it is to play a significant role in the booking process, companies need to be able to extract useful and trustworthy information," Golledge said.

Contact: Chris Taylor