Summer is approaching and for most of us this means vacations and probably a smooth combination between the sun and the sea. We at Betalabs are also going for a summer break and want to share with you some ideas on how to plan and book flights, hotels, event tickets by using social media in order to have relaxing and refreshing vacations. We have considered the main aspects when planning a vacation and how can they be solved with the help of social media.

Planning your vacation

Planning your vacation could result easier, funnier and cheaper in the era of social media where vast amount of precious information is only one click away. Nowadays companies like Expedia and Lonely Planet have up-to-date Facebook pages which provide relevant information for those wanting to plan their vacations. From best deals, special offers, information about a certain location and other useful advices social media has an answer. If you are more familiar with Twitter you should not worry because many of the companies that could help you book a vacation are present there. Some examples are: Expedia, Travelocity, Edreams, and many more.

The main advantage of using social media when planning a vacation is that you can receive instant feedback plus sincere recommendations and opinions of people who travelled before. Social media is like having a travel assistant helping you with all you may need, so do not deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying the benefits of it.

Hotels and accommodation

One of the main things that provide people with a good travel experience is the hotel or accommodation. Just by typing ”hotel” in the search box of Facebook you will get more than 500 pages of results with hotels that have a fan page on this social network. Probably, search would me more accurate if the name of the city you plan on visiting is added to the search terms. The main advantage is that by using this method you have a way to get instant feedback from other people that have visited the place. If services were poor or quality was under expectations considering the price paid, some unsatisfied customer has already posted something on the provider’s wall.

Let’s take the example of Hilton hotels which have a strong Facebook presence. Their page includes a series of elements in order to portrait the whole range of services offered by Hilton and all the facilities that their clients benefit from. The company has also integrated Twitter into their social media marketing mix and they use it to respond and communicate with clients.

Airlines and transportation means

Another key factor to guarantee the success of a vacation is represented by the transportation means chosen by the traveller. Depending on the destination, people may chose to fly, take the train, a ship, or even go by car, motorcycle, bicycle. Let´s have a look at the airline carriers in social media!

If you are wondering how social media influences the decision to choose a company over another the answer is pretty easy. Almost every carrier has a Twitter account or a Facebook page where people can share their travel experiences. Airlines have used social media even in crisis situations and we have detailed this subject in a previous article related to the volcano ash crisis. Airlines have also launched social media contests in their pursue of further engaging with consumers. For example if you live in Spain, Vueling launched an application that allows Facebook users to share their thoughts about Vueling. Based on the votes their status receives, users raise their chances of winning a free ticket for themselves and other 3 friends. Another carrier that has integrated Facebook and Twitter sharing is Lufthansa. With the help of this website people can share their location and flights with their friends and people around the globe.

Dinner and food

Depending on the type of tourist and eater you are, visiting a new country or destination could become a delight for your tastes. Difficulty arises when you arrive at your destination and the eternal question pops up: Where are we eating today? As any tourist you would like to pamper your tastes with the best meal possible; how to choose the best restaurant in a new town?

Travel guides can be left aside and social media can step in to solve the problem of where is the best dinner in town. Thanks to the new location based application, Foursquare you have access to the tips of thousand of users regarding where to eat. Let’s assume you are in a popular central area of a city, and you see many restaurants but you are not sure which one to choose; by opening Foursquare and clicking the tips sections you are going to receive suggestions from people who have visited the place before. If you are lucky you might even enjoy the benefits of a special offer depending on the city you are in.

Give feedback from your trip

Of course the success of a vacation depends on many more elements but nowadays problems that social media can not solve are getting less. Do not doubt to ask your friends for suggestions, or give feedback to the place you have visited. The real advantage and benefit of social media is that is a free channel. It is free in all senses. You do not have to pay for it, and communication is not restricted by anyone. So share your experiences with your friends and help social media do its magic for other people like you.

Finally, we would appreciate hearing how social media made your vacation planning easier so feel free to share your experiences with us! As we are going in a vacation also, the frequency of our blog posts is going to be lower, but we are still going to be active on Twitter. Follow us to keep in touch!

We wish you a sunny summer!