Ever since social networks have gained popularity in recent years, numerous studies and surveys have been conducted to prove if social media does have negative or positive effect in our society. Truth is, social media impacts our every day relationships, how we interact with long-lost friends or mates from college, colleagues at work and even new relationships borne out of Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or Instagram where we share thoughts, pictures and video moments of our everyday life. It’s no surprise, then, that social media should also affect how we travel and experience hospitality, at home or abroad. For many travelers, social media has become an invaluable tool for virtually every part of planning and taking a trip: they find inspiration on Pinterest, hunt down deals on Twitter, get restaurant tips on Foursquare and share photos on Facebook.
In an article entitled "How Social Media Impacts Travel" from www.socialmediatoday.com, the author, Fredric Gonzalo, shared his personal pros and cons about social media within the travel experience:First one is sharing in real time. Gone are the days wherein people load their cameras with films that would take weeks to develop. During those times, people were very keen when it comes to taking pictures in order to make sure that their film wouldn't go to waste. Nowadays, people just take out their smartphone, take numerous pictures and keep the best ones, add a filter and some comments, then share instantly via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or perhaps Pinterest. Second is social media proves to be good company when you travel by yourself, whether by choice or by circumstances. With various blogger groups, user-generated sites and travel forums, there are more ways than ever to connect with fellow travelers and get to meet people. Before social media, you’d just show up in the common area, kitchen or bar of the Youth Hostel and hope to start a conversation with other interesting travelers. That was, and certainly remains, lots of fun. Social media is just a different way to reach that same goal. And if you want to do your own thing and be left alone, the challenge will be in finding the will to disconnect from the mobile devices and social networks long enough to bask into the local culture, wherever you may be. Third is quantity and quality of information available. Nowadays, between travel blogs, user reviews sites like Tripadvisor and Yelp, or niche forums, i.e. backpackers, solo travelers, etc. there is plenty to choose from in order to get fresh, updated information. Destinations have also embraced social networks, so one can find quality blogs, Pinterest boards, Instagram ideas or Vine videos that give glimpses into what the experience can be, like a movie trailer or teaser to entice travelers to come and visit. And lastly is easy interaction with brands and fellow travelers. Customer service now takes place on Twitter (think of most airlines or major hotel chains), on Foursquare or Facebook. And with collaborative platforms, we can now choose to deal directly with vacation rental owners, experience a home-cooked meal or park in someone’s backyard through one of the various peer-to-peer networks that seem to be popping up.
"I can attest that backpackers I see in common areas indeed do seem to interact a lot less with each other, preferring to sit back behind the comfort of a laptop, tablet or smartphone and chat away with girlfriends or family at home." shares the author.
What the author had observe is in fact due to the increase in number of travelers preferring social media as an important tool in traveling. In fact, according an article entitled "Hospitality Industry Continues to Grapple with Effects of Social Media" by Roncha Revensencio from www.hotelmarketing.com, the hospitality industry continues to engage with the effects of social medias. A research by Bill Carroll, senior lecturer at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, indicated that over 80 percent of online travelers use social media, with the most prominent use being the posting of reviews on online travel agent sites and peer-to-peer review sites, like Trip Advisor and IgoUgo. A second major result was that there was a correlation between positive comments (sentiment) and the hotel quality level. Another research were conducted by two seniors at the School of Hotel Administration, Laura McCarthy and Debra Stock, studying how travelers use social media and mobile tools (e.g., smart phones) to gather information about and choose a hotel or restaurant. As a preliminary finding, they explained that hospitality guests place more weight on consumer reviews than they do on ratings from the established organizations, such as AAA and Forbes, even though the latter use clearly stated criteria. Interestingly, McCarthy and Stock found that people are just as likely to post a favorable review as an unfavorable review.
In my personal opinion, I do think social media is important. It may have changed the course of traveling over time but for me, it makes traveling all the more exciting. Social media inspires travelers like me. My family and I usually rely on social networking sites to discuss where we are going, what attractions we are seeing, and what restaurants we are visiting. My sister usually provide feedback about our experiences when she gets home by using services such as TripAdvisor. Social media and the Internet are not just a part of traveler's lives; with most carrying Internet enabled cell phones, the Internet is integrated into their activities.
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