Travelers are turning to social media for inspiration – to get ideas for where to travel, where to stay and where to eat. If you want to build a cutting edge social media strategy and make sure your channels are sources of inspiration for your customers, you’re going to need fresh sources of inspiration, too.
As we conducted research for our report, The Lifecycle of Visual Assets in Hospitality and Travel, we asked hundreds of hospitality and travel professionals from hotels, destinations, suppliers, agencies and travel organizations which brands they follow on social media to inspire their visual storytelling.
Some brands were mentioned over and over. These brands are catching eyes with powerful visual content, using innovative content formats, and setting a strong example for other social media teams in the industry. Not forgetting that many of these brands may have looked at how to get Instagram verification, as it’s no secret that more people tend to be drawn towards accounts that have this. When you see that blue tick, you know that you’re about to view something special. So, which brands can offer this type of inspiration?
The Ultimate List of Travel Brands to Follow on Social Media
Expedia
Hawaii has so much to offer, no matter your travel style! #DiscoverYourAloha by pairing up with one of three guides: https://t.co/bJkyX4beWV pic.twitter.com/4kL1BdVBzS
– Expedia (@Expedia) November 26, 2016
Expedia’s social media channels are packed with stunning photos and videos from a wide variety of destinations, making them a fantastic source of inspiration. The tweet above not only has gorgeous photos, but the link also takes you to a stunning visual landing page, drawing you further into the content.
Follow Expedia on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the most recognizable destinations in the world, and its cutting-edge social media channels are consistent with the brand’s powerhouse reputation. Las Vegas is using 360 degree video to give viewers a sense of what it feels like to cruise the boulevard, zip line down the strip and party at the Marquee at the Cosmopolitan. This is a great way of encouraging people over to this party area. The strip draws so many tourists every year to Las Vegas, so it’s good that they’re showing tourists what the strip looks like beforehand. As there are so many casinos on the strip, it’s an extremely popular location. Perhaps some people should consider practicing some online casino games before they head to some of Las Vegas’ casinos. Maybe some people would like to look into mega888 download game online. This will allow people to play casino games online.
Follow Las Vegas on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
California
California has a look and feel that’s all its own, and the state does a fantastic job of highlighting its unique mix of palm trees, mountains and wine country on social media. On Instagram, the brand always credits the photographer, reinforcing the authenticity of the feed.
Follow California on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Booking.com
The only thing better than finding your perfect getaway home, is arriving there. #bookingyeah https://t.co/hVuE7hxX6e pic.twitter.com/dDCp8thAlg
– Booking.com (@bookingcom) November 3, 2016
Booking.com packs its social media channels with playful gifs, snackable videos and colorful photos. When you scroll through the visuals on Booking.com’s feeds, you immediately think “fun” – just what you want when you’re planning your vacation.
Follow Booking.com on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Marriott
Exclusively ours: The man behind @humansofny and his contagious curiosity. https://t.co/3L9E95NeKw pic.twitter.com/MMRg34TRtD
– Marriott Hotels (@Marriott) November 17, 2016
Marriott uses its social channels to build a personal connection with followers. The brand partners with brands and influencers like TED Talks, VSCO and Humans of New York to create compelling visual content. The link in the tweet above leads you to the brand’s online publication, Travel Brilliantly, a sleek online magazine that puts photos in the spotlight.
Follow Marriott on Twitter | YouTube | Snapchat
Kimpton
Kimpton not only uses social media to connect with guests online, but also to connect in person. You can see the brand’s personal touch in the video about Kimpton’s Twitter-driven loyalty program above, or as you scroll through photos posted by delighted guests on the hashtag, #KimptonKarma. Want to learn more about how businesses can use customer loyalty programs as part of their marketing efforts? If so, take a look at this useful guide that explains What Are Customer Loyalty Incentive Programs? Put simply, effective customer loyalty programs can significantly help businesses to provide positive experiences that keep customers coming back for more.
Bonus, Kimpton’s Instagram looks like it’s run by a lifestyle blogger, not a hotel chain.
Follow Kimpton on Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Destination British Columbia
Destination British Columbia has a strong visual identity. If you scroll through the destination’s Instagram, you get a consistent look and feel, even though the team often works with “#guestagrammers” and influencers. This means the team is choosing the right photographers and influencers – creators who fit perfectly with their visual brand.
Follow Destination British Columbia on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Starwood Global
Starwood paints a picture of serenity on its social channels. As you scroll through the brand’s Instagram, you can’t help but feel relaxed. One tool the brand uses effectively is the cinemagraph – a format that combines a still photo and a video so only a portion of the image is moving. The format is clean and simple – a perfect fit for the relaxed feel of Starwood’s feed.
Follow Starwood on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Four Seasons
We’re on #Snapchat! Journey RTW with us as we 👻 from one Four Seasons to another… https://t.co/nHBXGiiE68 pic.twitter.com/qk4Kvlnj9F
– Four Seasons Hotels (@FourSeasons) May 2, 2016
The Four Seasons Twitter and Instagram accounts are filled with polished photos consistent with the luxury brand, but now Four Seasons is giving followers a new perspective on Snapchat. The brand’s snaps give followers a behind-the-scenes look at Four Seasons hotels, introducing staff members and showing off how they make cocktails.
Follow Four Seasons on Twitter | Instagram | Snapchat
Airbnb
Airbnb pairs user-generated content and influencer content with playful captions that put you in the moment. If you think your brand would benefit from the exposure and prestige that comes with influencer help and other social media marketing strategies, you’ll want to reach out to the likes of unrulyagency.com/ who have experience collaborating with a range of brands looking to do precisely that! Once the photo catches your eye, the caption makes you imagine you’re the one staying in the photo – a much better tactic than trying to sell you a package outright.
Join us in London! Jump into an Airbnb experience on #Periscope360. Just move your phone around and see what happen… https://t.co/z1bFRV9q1u
– Airbnb (@Airbnb) January 6, 2017
Now, Airbnb is experimenting with live video on Periscope so you don’t just have to imagine yourself in the moment, you can actually be a part of it in real time.
Follow Airbnb on Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat
Disney
Disney knows a thing or two about storytelling, so it’s no surprise Disney Parks made our list of brands to watch. Just try to watch the video above without getting a little teary! Like any great story, the video has a strong plot, endearing characters and gorgeous visuals. Plus, Disney seized an opportunity to tell a real family’s story. Because the brand takes a backseat, the video highlights Disney’s values, products and services in a much more powerful way.
Follow Disney on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
San Francisco
San Francisco has a strong social presence across channels, and the brand is doing a fantastic job of using its established accounts to drive followers on Snapchat. The video above is a string of snaps from an interactive Q&A that the San Francisco team promoted on both Twitter and Snapchat. They saved the story and added it to YouTube, then embedded it on their blog with a transcript. The CTA? Follow us on Snapchat, of course!
Follow San Francisco on Snapchat | Twitter | Instagram
Bonus: Why Easy Access to Visual Content Is Key to Managing the San Francisco Travel Brand
Tourism Australia
If adorable animals are part of the draw of your destination, you should highlight them on social media every chance you get. Tourism Australia knows its audience. The destination’s social media accounts are packed with photos and videos of wombats, kangaroos and koalas. Bring on the cuteness!
Follow Tourism Australia on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels is using a number of cutting edge tactics from cinemagraphs to video content marketing. The video above is part of a series called “Vanity at the Vanity,” where the brand invites influencers to a hotel to share tips in fast-paced video clips. The videos are running across Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
Follow Virgin Hotels on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Hilton
Like many travel brands, Hilton is experimenting with influencer marketing. But with the video above, Hilton takes influencer marketing a step further. Content creator Ben Brown made a 15 minute video about his trip with Hilton for his own YouTube channel that got thousands of views, but Hilton also got to share the short trailer above as native video on its own feed to catch followers’ attention.
Follow Hilton on Facebook | Youtube | Twitter
National Geographic
National Geographic is a juggernaut in travel storytelling, and the brand continues to innovate with fresh content and formats on social media. One of the best examples of this is #SafariLive, NatGeo’s new Facebook Live series that lets you can watch an elephant graze at sunset in real time as you’re sitting at your desk halfway across the world. The series gets thousands of views, comments and live questions, and shows the power of live video for travel brands.
Follow National Geographic on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Cover photo by Can Balcioglu courtesy of San Francisco Travel.
See Also: The Lifecycle of Visual Assets in Hospitality and Travel
