Under the Influence: Social Media’s Role in Trip Planning and Inspiration

Summary

Travel is alive and buzzing in the social media ecosystem. Users, brands and influencers are all sharing, guiding and inspiring through the whole arc of the trip experience. Yet a wide range of opportunities remain untapped, as consumers’ engagement with travel content on social platforms differs from, and still lags other industries. This article addresses the following key topics:

• Overview of social media utilization for travel and trip planning 
• Analysis of social media platform choice/preference by age 
• Discussion of influencers’ value in travel marketing 
• Highlights of missed and potential opportunities for social travel marketers

This article is derived from the findings of Phocuswright’s U.S. Consumer Travel 2022 survey and explores who is using social for travel, what platforms they’re on, and the role social media plays in their travel practices.