For better or worse, social media is changing the game for the travel industry.
As any modern day Instagram-scroller knows, social media is constantly showing us beautiful images of places we’ve never been. Ads for travel businesses are always popping up on the feed. On the other hand, influencers jetting off to new locations is also a predominant theme in the algorithm.
Has social media increased people’s wanderlust and helped the travel industry, or has it made people feel as if they don’t need to get out there because they can easily see all the views from their phone?
To gain some insight on the ways social media is changing the travel industry, it is important to look at it from two different perspectives; first, that of the travel expert. This person could be a travel agent, a journalist or anyone who is considered to have expertise in travel. Their main medium is not social media, though they may partake in it.
Second, it is important to see the side of the Instagram travel influencer, whose main medium is social media. They promote travel and typically get invited, and occasionally paid, by travel companies to promote a city or hotel to their followers.
Jenny Hart, a travel journalist who has written for publications such as Travel + Leisure, offered her insights on ways social media is helping but also harming the travel industry. “Destinations that were once seen as unobtainable for many people are now much easier to access right at their fingertips,” she said.
But, as many social media users know, not everything is as picture-perfect as it seems. Hart explained that “sometimes there is an attitude of ‘If you didn’t share your pictures, were you even there?'”
“A lot of the most beautiful traveling images you see are heavily edited. Maybe it was really crowded and they had to edit people out,” Hart said.
Speaking from positive personal experience, Hart helped illustrate the growing importance of social media for a travel journalist like herself. “I’m certainly not a social media influencer in any respect, but having a social media presence has become a really important part of my personal brand,” she said.
“I used to be strictly a travel writer, but now I do social media marketing as well, with different hotels and tour operators as clients,” Hart said, proving that travel writers have also adapted to the world of social media.
Gaining a different point of view from Shadoe Lee (@keepaustinyoung), Instagram travel influencer, she explained that Instagram has allowed her to “share my insights of local places and places I have explored with others, while also allowing me to partner with tourism boards and hotels.”
When asked about whether social media is helping or harming the travel industry, she replied: “This is a double-edged sword. Overall yes, social media helps spread the word and awareness about certain spots. But on the other hand, some places that are deemed “Instagramable” are great places to visit, but are over crowded because of the social media fame and therefore not as fun,” she said, voicing similar concerns as journalist Hart.
Dre Fox (@timeofdre), a Social Media Coach, also offered her insights. “I think travel blogging tends to romanticize travel (ie dresses on top of mountains) but honestly, is that so bad? I view it as artistic expression and while it might be unrealistic, photos don’t always have to be realistic,” she said.
However, there is also cons, she explained. “I do think there is a problem when a place is misrepresented. If you’re editing things to look better, it can create issues with people that go there and realize it looks totally different.”
Looking towards the future of social media and travel’s relationship, Fox voices some ideas she would like to see come into play. “I’d love to see cities doing longer term partnerships with influencers so they can return throughout the year and ‘travel deeper’ within the area to paint the picture.”
Having these perspectives helps us see that social media is here– regardless of what our opinions may be about it. Instead of looking at it as an obstacle to overcome, those in the travel industry can look at it as a tool to further their success and build more relationships.