The growing popularity of social media in the modern world has had an inevitable effect on the tourism industry. An enhancement of this has been registered during the year, a year heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. And while the virus took away a lot, it also opened several windows of opportunities.
There has been an overall increase in social media activity in all parts of the world and the question is, will this growth continue in 2021? And how will it affect marketing in the tourism sector? It is clear that social media will remain a valuable marketing channel in the industry, but several factors have to be noted in this regard.
Personal approach and social issues
In this context, it is important to highlight that anyone marketing anything on social media in the modern world has to be able to do so while keeping a personal approach to the matter.
Customers are keen to relate to brands and establish more emotional connections with them. The goal should be not to make the brand out-of-reach, but more accessible and authentic.
Moreover, today’s audience on social media expects brands to address important social issues. This is especially the case of millennials, as well as the younger audience, who appreciate when a brand can make a difference with its personal approach to an important topic. These topics can be related to, for example, sexism and racism, while stressing the importance of diversity in society.
Sustainability and the post-pandemic context
Sustainability is a concept that has been long growing in the industry and will continue to do so next year. It is an absolutely essential building block for any brand wishing to promote itself on social media. It represents an important topic stressing the importance of the environment as well as local communities.
Moreover, it will be important to highlight the lust of travel after a difficult year with many restrictions in the industry.
Many tourists had to cancel or postpone certain events and will be keen to celebrate them in great fashion next year. For this reason, it would be wise to provide them with ideas and opportunities with regards to their missed travels.
Influencers, videos and VR
The trend of using influencers in a marketing strategy has also been growing in the last couple of years and there are no signs that this growth will stop in the upcoming year.
With a targeted strategy across various social media platforms, influencers can represent a valuable marketing tool for any destination, hotel or other business in the industry looking to gain lost ground in 2021.
Furthermore, social media can serve as a valuable marketing channel due to the potential to attract a lot of interest in a relatively short period of time.
This has been the case of short videos during the year. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat have registered an incredible boom in popularity with regards to this type of content. The trend is expected to grow further in 2021, especially among the younger audience.
Finally, the importance of new technologies cannot be overestimated. Customers are eager to experience new types of content and these include virtual experiences.
A prime example of this is virtual reality, as there is a growing demand for the possibility of having a virtual tour of an accommodation facility before arrival.
