In the initial phase, tourism industry particularly in India has given unfavourable responses to accepting the online technological tools. With increasing realization of its vitality, the tourism sector accepted it and then utilized it to compete globally.
The entire-world of communication is changing with rapid pace and the upcoming magic word is "Social Media". As compared to this magic word, no other discipline or process has such a lasting effect on the field of tourism product and service marketing. Any event happening around the globe is easily spread to every corner within few seconds just because of the presence of Social Media. Even, social media proved its worth in all aspects of an organization i.e. from sales and marketing to operations to revenue management and so on.
Social media has also changed the way the potential tourist explore the online sources to gather information. Then based on that information, he makes decisions of visiting the tourism destinations etc. Therefore, operators who provide the travel services also need to utilize the opportunities provided by social media to generate the greatest returns. There is an immediate need to tracking, analyzing and reacting to online reviews, feedback and actively engaging in social networking to build awareness and shape perceptions of one's brand. In the meantime, feedback generated from the guest also needs to be given adequate attention, so that it will drive towards revenue generation. The alerts on sites like Google, TripAdvisor, Twitter and Facebook will facilitate the process of feedback generation. While for larger businesses, a social media monitoring tool will help in collecting, organising and reacting to reviews and commentary.
In tourism sector where most of the holiday-makers start with an internet research before they book accommodation, an active presence on social media sites is need of the hour. Social Media allows travel-based companies to quickly promote their product and brand, get the online community involved and motivated them to travel and specifically target key market segments. Ultimately, though, social media provides a way for users to deliver "word-of-mouth" marketing for businesses which is one of the biggest influencers when it comes to consumers making travel decisions.
The increasing use of mobile devices (m-technology) proved that it continues to dominate internationally. More and more travelers are researching, seeking advice and making decisions on where to stay, eat, drink, shop, explore and relax while on the tour through their handsets. Hence, travel service providers already developed and in the process of developing mobile compatible sites which are now essential for businesses that rely heavily on local traffic. Moreover, Location-based services allow leaving information, guides and other tips in locations for people to pick up with their mobile device.
Beyond the above mentioned mediums, the tour and travel industry also has the option of other digital media that offer unique benefits over traditional channels. Tablet applications are the main attraction on whatever platform - iPad, Android, Windows or Black-Berry - is that these mediums offer tourism companies a platform for global distribution. Digital brochures - a form of portable tablet, mobile, social or online app - convert offline real world platforms into highly interactive digital platforms. Low-cost media like tablet apps, social media and digital brochures offer their best possible entry point to this digital marketing phenomenon. Another magical device named Smart Phones also contribute in glorifying the impact of social media.
For strategic decisions especially in tourism industry, websites and other online promotional tools have always been considered a vital component for any online marketing plan. Even the limitations in traditional channels of marketing and interacting with customers are broken down and numbers of online and digital platforms are making an impressive impact in the present technological era. Moreover, the present online mediums are cost-effective and attraction for all groupings and demographics - niche and mass markets, business and leisure travel, men and women and all age groups and hence it offer value to the tourism companies.
Every coin has two sides and it's also relevant in social media vis-à-vis tourism sector. The technology needs to be well utilized and hence the skilled manpower is needed. After every quarter, the technology also upgraded to the next level i.e. from beta version to actual launching of the software, from first generation to second generation and so on. Hence, there is a need to match these technological up gradation.
In conclusion, the present technological think-tank put all the efforts to grab maximum output from social media unless the new futuristic alternatives would arrive and make the present technologies outdated. The live video streaming, video conferencing, virtual tours etc. need more attention because of the several benefits they are offering to service providers. In short, the dynamism of social media in tourism sector is ever-increasing and stakeholders need to capitalize it appropriately to generate and sustain the competitive advantage.
No comments:
Post a Comment