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Online travel agent says social media is overrated
Less than 1% of people use social media when selecting their annual holiday, according to a survey by Directline Holidays.
The study by the online travel agent instead found that people rely on recommendations by family (30%) and friends (12%).
"The internet and social media are undoubtedly growing in importance with websites like Tripadvisor helping customers to check that they are booking the right trip, but it is intriguing to discover that many still prefer a personal recommendation," said CEO Maria Whiteman.
“While only a small percentage admit to being swayed by social media, it may be that some of our respondents have been unconsciously influenced when making a decision about what product to purchase.
"Other internal statistics do show that bookings definitely emerge from customers clicking through from other websites but our research shows that the influence of social media may be overstated."
After family and friends, the internet came out as the next biggest influence (10%).
Traditional media, such as newspapers, TV and magazines made up 13% between them, proving that they are still important influencers.
Another 7% said that work colleagues were their main influence, meaning ‘word of mouth’ or human interaction made up approximately half of the survey’s responses.
"Despite a large percentage of people liking to think that they are independently-minded travellers, we all get our holiday inspiration from somewhere – if not from another person we will have read about a destination, seen it on the TV or discovered it on the internet at some point,” added Whiteman.
The survey was carried out by Bristol-based news agency One Poll in June 2012.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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