Social Travel

Social Travel The impact of Social Networks over the Travel Industry. Stéphane Bouchez e-Tourism Consultant www.stratenet.com

Social Travel The impact of Social Networks over the Travel Industry.

While you were Sleeping

What about social Travel?

Create a social Network ?

What does this mean for you ?

While you were sleeping The consumer’s behaviour has changed … Forever 1

Too many offers, too much informations, no differentiation 1

Customer confused by info overload Nirat Bhatnagar: Co-Founder 3 Week Trip To Mexico For 2 What The Customer Wants Blog Wiki Travel videos Social network RSS What The Customer Sees Google Metasearch OTA Planner

I don’t believe you, I don’t trust you : you try to sell me something. 2

The Level of trust

76 % of consumers don’t believe that companies tell the truth in advertisements (Yankelowich)

89 % trust the recommandations of other consumers in the travel industry. (Forrester Research / Intelliseek)

52 % don’t trust the website that sells the travel. (Benchmark group)

Customers want informations from people like him.

Customers search experienced Travellers, opinions, feedback, recommandations.

Forget your Travel Pack, I want “THE EXPERIENCE” 3

Experience

« Nous sommes passés d’une logique du prédictif à une logique de l’expérience basée sur l’avis des consommateurs » Guy Raffour.

Customers wants the same as what he has read from other travellers: the wonderful trip with the all big things.

“ I am not Searching for the Lowest Fare” : “ I want to Find the Perfect Trip” 4

Price

Lowest fare is only important for a part of your target.

Only 36 % think the price is the most important (Benchmark Group).

Customers know that experience cost more, most of the time, he is ready to pay for “THE EXPERIENCE”. The perfect trip according to what others have said. Example: The success of : www.continentsinsolites.com

After my trip, I might share my “Travel Experience”, whatever good or bad, you’ll need to deal with it. 5

Sharing

6 types of Digital travellers in Europe (forrester)

Les créateurs (10%) - Ils publient: Blogs, articles, vidéos, photos, …

Les critiques (19%) – ils contribuent: commentaires sur les produits et services de voyage (forums, wiki, communautés, articles de blogs)

Les “Collecteurs” (12 %) - ils Tagguent : les pages web, photos, vidéos pour les retrouver.

Les “Adhérents” (13 %) : ils maintiennent un profil dans les sites de réseaux sociaux, et visitent les sites etourisme 2.0 régulièrement.

Les “Spectateurs” (38 %): ils lisent les blogs, écoutent les podcasts, regardent les vidéos des autres internautes, lisent les forums en ligne, et lisent les notations des consommateurs.

Les Inactifs (53 %) : ils ne font rien… pour l’instant.

http://etourisme.info/article/608/etourisme-20-que-font-les-internautes-europeens

So what Behaviour???

So, what about Social and Travel? The consumer has changed… you will have to change … Forever 2

Social ? Source: Vibeagent PPT

184 million bloggers 73% of active online users have read a blog 45% have started their own blog 57% have joined a social network 55% have uploaded photos 83% have watched video clips 39% subscribe to an RSS feed Source: Universal McCann Comparative Study on Social Media Trends April 2008 Social ?

Social ?

Social? It’s about Participation

It can be accessed & updated on demand

It can be mashed up with other media

Its popularity is transparent

It can be produced for FREE

It can be distributed for FREE

It can be easily shared

Source: Vibeagent PPT

Social? It’s about Conversation You choose to join … or not Source: Vibeagent PPT

Social? A new way of Understanding Markets Source: ClueTrainManifesto

Social? A Global Phenomenon Source: IPSOS INSIGHT

Social Traveller ?

Social Travel ? Example Only Facebook Steph & Meg travel to Playa del carmen and update their profiles on Facebook Philippe, Frédéric and Vanessa that don’t know each other are in the same Network of Steph & Meg. They are all in Mexico, they decide to meet each other and have a drink 1 2

Social Travel ? Example Cities I’ve visited – Facebook / Trip Advisor

Social Travel ? Example Cities I’ve visited– Facebook / TripAdvisor Meg travels to Playa del carmen and tags “Yax Che” Restaurant on the Map Steph sees the comment while planning a trip to Playa and decides to eat at “Yax-Che” 1 2

Social Travel ? Example Going Places – Facebook / TripWiser Meg travels to Playa del Carmen and uploads a video on Going Places (Tripwiser) Steph sees the video while planning a trip to Playa Steph likes the video a lot and puts it on his blog. It is seen by his 1300 daily readers 1 2 3

Social Travel ? Example

Social Travel Everywhere, any kind

SO HOW CAN I CREATE A Community or SOCIAL NETWORK ? 3

WRONG QUESTION

“ Communities already exist. Instead, think about how you can help that community to do what it wants to do” Mark Zuckerberg Source: FuTurLAB PPT

UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK 9 1 90 Every community has super-users – high authority, highly active Know who they are Source: FUTURLAB PPT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twenty_questions/ Act on their feedback Encourage discussion, be a part of it LISTEN Source: FUTURLAB PPT

Understand what they are trying to do Create tools and content to help them do it Interact with them, engage with them, respect them AND ADD VALUE http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsyt/ Source: FUTURLAB PPT

4 WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE WAY YOU SHOULD WORK

The 4Ps = The future of Online Travel Source: VibeAgent P rofiles P articipations P latforms P ersonalization « What I want, When and Where I want it, Recommended by people I know and I trust »

5 END Questions?