According to a survey done by World Travel Market on travel professionals, social media was voted the most important source of travel inspiration.
The WTM London Trade survey quizzed 210 travel industry professionals from around the world, while the consumer poll questioned 2000 members of the public.
When asked to rank the most important sources for consumer interest in a destination, four in five respondents chose online/social media/influencer as the most important source of consumer interest in a destination.
Family and friends came in at a close second with three-quarters of the respondents choosing this option as their main source of travel inspiration.
Third on the list was advertising, tipped by almost half the respondents, while other influences such as TV and radio ranking at one-third of the survey.
Other factors voted for by the veteran travellers included habit, print media and films.
However, the social media influence was a hit with younger travellers. The impact drops dramatically for older generations.
Research showed that Generation Z, those born in the late ’90s upwards – are much more influenced by social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram with older travellers preferring research and traditional hear-say.
Picture: Getaway Gallery
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