Empowerment and influence are key factors for travellers

Between search, social media, 24-hour news, streaming platforms, and online marketplaces, we’ve never had so much information available at the click of a button. So, it’s no surprise that more than half of people (60%) share photos on social media while traveling and nearly a third (30%) use social media as inspiration for their next trip. With social becoming central to booking decisions, travellers are gaining more influence and feeling more empowered to leverage all the data at their fingertips.

Travel is a large ticket item for many travellers, and protecting their financial investment is a priority. Social media and sharing reviews become critical to building confidence to book. In fact, most people (92%) want to see reviews before booking. They also look at multiple sources to validate reviews including hotel sites, online booking sites, TikTok and more. And the information they find can be consequential to their decision. According to Expedia Group research, one in three people (33%) opted not to use a travel brand because of a negative post they saw on social media.

This is where travel advisors can play a pivotal role in helping a traveller find the right products to meet their expectations. While travellers trust that a highly rated hotel will deliver a great experience, a  travel advisor can add another layer of trust and security to reviews if they’ve vetted properties and apply their “stamp of approval.”