By Greg Hazley
Recommendations from friends and family are a key factor in vacation decisions worldwide as social media has taken a key role in planning, according to a study by Text 100.
In the U.S., 43% say friend recommendations are a main reason for choosing a travel location, second only to relaxation (57%) and well ahead of convenience (28%). Only 35% of Europeans, by contrast, rely on friend recommendations, while 47% rely on relaxation for vacation choice.
The main reason for choosing a destination remains value for money. When Americans search online for travel information, price/room rates are the most sought information (58%), followed by surrounding attractions (42%), quality of facilities (37%), cleanliness (36%), and service (30%).
Social media has taken a key role in travel planning as a whopping 87% of people under age 34 said they use Facebook for travel inspiration, according to the study.
The firm found that 64% overall consider recommendations from family and friends the top factor to spark travel plans, advice commonly sought via social media. Following friend/family recommendations were Internet searches (55%), individual provider websites (49%), sales/promotions by airlines and hotels (48%), and online travel sites (46%). Only about a third said mileage/loyalty programs influenced their decisions.
The PR firm tapped Redshift Research for the survey, which polled 4,600 consumers in 13 countries.
Text found social media plays the largest role in the first and last phases of travel – inspiration and experience. Eighty-eight percent said they take a mobile device on vacation – 34% of Americans take a laptop – with 52% posting photos or videos during travels. Another 25% said they write reviews while away. Nearly half said they would get involved if they had access to Wi-Fi while on vacation.
In the U.S., 37% said they consider travel blogger reviews first and 44% overall said they agreed that blogger reviews helped with an initial decision on a destination. Online travel forums (37%), Facebook (27%), YouTube/Vimeo (24%) and Pinterest (22%) followed.
U.S. travelers prefer “stay-cations,” vacations within their country more than the rest of the world at the rate of 88%, compared with 73% in Europe and 74% in the Asia-Pacific realm, Text 100 found. American also more frequently engage in weekend getaways – 26% compared to a global average of only 15%.
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