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How Traveller-Generated Content Influences Travel Decisions

The Role of Traveller-Generated Content in Shaping Travel Decisions: How Authentic User Experiences Can Influence Your Marketing Strategy

Scarlette A. De Gregorio
January 3, 2023
Traveller-generated content, such as reels, photos and videos has become an increasingly important factor in the travel industry. In this post, we explore how this authentic content can influence travel decisions and the role it can play in tourism marketing efforts.

The Importance of Traveller-Generated Content for Tourism Marketing


The Authenticity Factor

Traveller-generated content, such as photos and reels, has become an increasingly important factor in the travel industry. With the proliferation of social media, travellers now have a wealth of information at their fingertips when it comes to planning their next vacation.
This content, created by real travellers like you and me, can greatly influence the travel decisions of other potential travellers.

One of the main benefits of traveller-generated content is its authenticity. When someone shares their personal experience with a particular destination or attraction, it can be more trustworthy and relatable than a carefully curated marketing campaign. Travellers are more likely to trust the opinions of their peers, and user-generated content allows them to get a more accurate sense of what to expect on their trip.

woman jumping on green mountains
Inca Trail, Peru

The Inspiration Factor

In addition to providing valuable information, traveller-generated content can also serve as inspiration for future travellers. Seeing stunning photos of a destination or reading about a unique and memorable experience can spark the desire to visit that place for oneself. This is particularly true on social media, where visual content tends to perform well and can quickly go viral, spreading the word about a destination to a wide audience.

The Marketing Opportunity

For tourism boards and destination marketing organizations, harnessing the power of traveller-generated content can be a valuable tool.

By actively seeking out and promoting user-generated content, these organizations can showcase the real experiences of travellers and provide valuable information to potential visitors. This can help to build trust and credibility, and can ultimately lead to increased tourism for the destination.

woman sitting on rock watching body of water
Skyline Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

Tips for Making the Most of Traveller-Generated Content

So, how can you make the most of traveller-generated content when planning your next marketing campaign? Here are a few tips:


1. Use SnapSea to acquire and share user-generated content on your own social media channels:

By sharing content created by travellers on your own channels, you can showcase the real experiences of people who have visited your destination. This can help to build trust and credibility with potential visitors.

2. Partner with travel influencers

Influencers often have a large following on social media and can be a great way to showcase your destination to a wider audience. Consider using SnapSea’s creator discovery feature to find influencers who have visited your destination and see if they would be interested in sharing their content on your channels or in a sponsored post.


2. Create a user-generated content content

Consider running a contest on the SnapSea platform to encourage travellers to share their content from your destination. This can be a great way to gather a large amount of content in a short period of time and give potential visitors a more well-rounded view of your destination.


3. Utilize user-generated content in paid social media advertising

By using traveller-generated content in your paid social media advertising campaigns, you can showcase real experiences and help to build trust with potential visitors. This can be particularly effective on platforms like Instagram, where visually appealing content tends to perform well.

three men walking on desert during daytime
Merzouga, Morocco

In conclusion, traveller-generated content has the power to greatly influence travel decisions. As a tourism board or destination marketing organization, it's important to understand the value of this type of content and how to effectively use it in your marketing efforts. By seeking out and considering the experiences of real travellers, you can showcase your destination in a more authentic and relatable way, ultimately leading to increased tourism for your region.

Taking advantage of the UGC potential is easier than you think, you just need to create a strategy based on your goals and use a powerful UGC marketing platform, like SnapSea.


Want to get started with an automated visual marketing platform today? Head back to SnapSea or give us a follow on LinkedIn.

ARTICLE TAGS
Traveller-generated content, user-generated content, social media marketing, tourism marketing, travel decisions, authenticity, online reviews, travel inspiration, influencer marketing, destination marketing
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