With more than 1.86 billion active Facebook users, 284 million active users on Twitter, and more than 700 million Instagram users, the hospitality sector can no longer afford to ignore its social media marketing strategy.
Hotels need to be on social media to be more accessible and visible to travellers. Social media is transforming the way in which all businesses, including hotels, interact with consumers.
Gone are the days when hotels and tourism boards could get away without having a variety of social media accounts.
Now travellers want to search for the hotel, look at its website, its TripAdvisor listing, and social pages — and, in some cases, even pick a hotel based entirely on the photographs on its public profiles.
“It’s through social media that travellers discover new hotels, restaurants, or destinations to add to their bucket list. One great photo can sell many Instagram users,” said Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar director of sales and marketing Firas Rashid, while Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort’s director of marketing communications, Hana Fuchs, believes that having a presence on social media is critical to any hotel brand’s growth.
Agreeing with this is Yasmin Collins, the marketing, communications and PR manager of Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, an Autograph Collection Hotel, who added that hotels should definitely be on all platforms.
“Using social media, hotels can create awareness, build and strengthen relationships with guests, influence decisions, drive revenue, and ultimately strengthen brand image,” Collins said to Hotelier Middle East.
According to Collins, the internet penetration in the Middle East has increased year-on-year and, in 2017, stands higher than the global average. A majority of this audience is actively using social platforms, so it is imperative for hotels to be on these channels too.
