Social media driving British tourism: report

VisitBritain has published a new report that showcases the powerful influence social media has in positioning Britain as a destination of choice for international visitors. 

The report, entitled ‘The role of social media in the context of holidays’ which focused on visitor markets in the USA, Germany, India and South Korea, found that 89% of those surveyed had used social media at some stage of their holiday.

India took the number one spot with 98% of the market having used social media during their holiday planning and once returning home; 95% in South Korea; 84% in the USA and 77% in Germany.

Almost 70% of all respondents said content posted online by friends made them want to visit a destination. The influence of photos was highest in India where 81% agreed that seeing their friends’ travel photos made them want to visit the same place – followed closely by South Korea (76%) and the USA (68%).

When it comes to choosing Britain as a holiday destination, the research found that social media plays a key role in the decision-making process with Facebook the main go-to source for respondents in all stages of the holiday-making process – particularly when deciding to visit Britain (44%). Meanwhile Twitter was most commonly used for seeking suggestions and advice while on holiday and Instagram was used most by people wanting to plan their trip or share their experiences – though to a lesser extent than the other platforms.

The UK Government’s Minister for Tourism Tracey Crouch said: “There is so much to see and do in the UK and this report confirms that social media remains the fastest and most effective way for the industry to showcase ourselves as a top destination to the world.”