Social Media in Travel 2012: Social Networks & Traveler Reviews

Summary

Advances in technology and increasingly sophisticated social platforms have made it easier than ever for today's travelers to engage online. From posting travel reviews to interacting with travel brands online and sharing trip experiences through their favorite online networks, travelers are making the most of social media. Now an integral part of the online travel ecosystem, consumers are not just participating, but are actively shaping the travel search, shop, buy and share experience.

Phocuswright's Social Media in Travel 2012: Social Networks & Traveler Reviews examines the role and impact of social media and user-generated content on the online travel landscape. Created in partnership with Circos Brand Karma and Travelport, this report explores how both travelers and travel companies are leveraging this powerful medium, and highlights the implications for the industry in the years ahead. Phocuswright's Social Media in Travel 2012: Social Networks & Traveler Reviews includes:

• Influence of online social features on travelers
• Role and impact of social networks in travel planning and shopping, including referrals and bookings
• Analysis and examples of how travel companies leverage social platforms for branding activities, transactions and customer support
• Detailed analysis of nearly 4.5 million traveler reviews posted on social travel websites and OTAs from 2008-2011, representing approximately 25,000 U.S. properties of 65 leading hotel brands. Discussion includes:
• Volume and share of traveler reviews posted on traveler review websites and OTAs from 2008-2011
• Sentiment of online traveler reviews through semantic analysis with Circos Brand Karma
• Phocuswright’s "Buzz" benchmark, which gauges hotels' social travel performance in terms of review volume and activity by hotel star rating
• Social Travel Advocacy Index (STAI), which tracks traveler sentiment over time and monitors travelers' satisfaction with a particular hotel or brand

Along with millions of other consumers, online travelers have fully embraced social media, and the way they search, shop and buy travel will never be the same. Phocuswright's Social Media in Travel 2012: Social Networks & Traveler Reviews gives travel companies the know-how they need to stay competitive and meet the expectations of today's travelers.

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