It may sound bizarre but Facebook can be of great help when coming to plan your next traveling experience. According to recent studies, people do not decide of where to go according to general info on the internet but according to where their friends have already gone and, especially, what they have to say about the particular destination.

Although travel agencies keep up with their services of producing valuable information for travelers worldwide, the ‘word of mouth’ from friends seems to be gaining substantial ground. It’s as simple as looking at our friend’s beautiful photos of their recent trip which will make us start packing!. According to a gallop in 2011, carried out by the British site that compares flights - Skyscanner.com - 52% of Facebook users stated that they chose their destination just by browsing on their friend’s albums.

Many recently produced statistics refer to the ever more noticeable relation between the Social Media and planning trips. Advising company EyeforTravel released the report Social Media & Mobile Travel 2012, where it is clearly stated that 7 out of 10 travel sources believe that the social media have the power to create direct bookings but also have greatly improved communication between sources and clients.

Friend2Friend, an experienced expert company in creating personified and interactive campaigns to the client through the social media, has developed a series of applications under the Travelling section within Facebook. «Through our applications, visitors can be viewers of a plethora of photographic images and they can actually feel part of the whole thing by pressing like and share, thus increasing our firm’s sphere of influence».

The actual report was announced at the World Travel Market 2011 and it states that more than 1/5 (or 22% of productive tourist companies) have an income from their actions within the environment of the social media and another 27% is planning on taking action within the social media within the next 5 years. The report also shows that by the year 2016, the social media will be the main platform for promoting travel bookings and a source of income for 50% of companies in the tourist industry.

(Source: traveldailynews.gr)

From: Nadia Massahou

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