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Time for you to start tweeting?
A year ago, most of my travel clients were resistant to Twitter. The micro-blogging service seemed too wild west, too geeky, even rogue. Its cult following fit nobody's psychographics. But today, to tweet or not to tweet is no longer the question for the travel industry. Many show up regularly every #TravelTuesday to tweet everything from Follow recommendations to last minute specials. Now that statistics are so undeniably dazzling-- Twitter usage climbed 1382% from Jan-February 2009 alone -- the only real question remaining is: how will you put Twitter to best use for your brand?
Some of the answers can be found in the results of a recent survey of prominent travel industry experts conducted by Travel Insights 100. The study reveals key insights into how these travel gurus feel about and utilize Twitter, plus their thoughts on emerging social media trends in the industry. Some highlights:
- The popularity of Twitter in the travel industry is unquestionable. However it is a recent phenomenon, with the majority of respondents just started using the tool in the past twelve months (52 percent).
- There is a nearly equal split between Twitter addicts (31 percent use Twitter ten or more times a day) and those who use it less frequently (33 percent use Twitter less than four times a day).
- Surprisingly, the majority of respondents (91 percent) recommend using Twitter to find travel information such as deals and tips.
- Pet peeves include tweets that are too promotional, too mundane or too corporate.
- Participants were asked to give predictions for the future of Twitter. Responses ranged from predicting a rocky road ahead for Twitter, to suggesting micro blogging is the future of communications, to forecasting a takeover of Twitter by marketers and a migration away from it to the next big thing in social media.
Nancy D. Brown, a luxury travel writer based in the San Francisco Bay area who serves on the panel says: “As a lodging editor and travel writer, I’m constantly on the look out for properties to review. A social media savvy hotel or resort knows the importance of having a Twitter presence. Twitter is a great way to reach out to consumers and media with last minute specials and it doesn’t cost you a penny. That’s saying a lot in today’s economy.”
Follow Nancy on Twitter @Nancydbrown for all things travel. Her “What a Trip” blog is at www.Nancydbrown.com.
As for me, my favorite insight -- one that should be lavishly applied across all social media: Don't be boring.
For those few hold-outs who still need a nudge, I've compiled a list of travel industry tweeters, starting today with hotels. Obviously, the list is far from complete, especially with so many jumping into the conversation on a daily basis. If I've missed your property, please email your hotel name and Twitter ID to: guruofnew@gmail.com.
Unfortunately, one of my pet social media peeves is all too present among some of the hotels listed below. That is -- registering a Twitter ID and then seldom or never tweeting. Imagine your potential customer in eager decision-making mode coming across your Twitter Profile and seeing 0 Follows, 1 Tweet and no identifying link. Aside from disappointment at the lack of ready information, in these recessionary times, if you have a 'ghost' presence on any social media, customers may take this as a sign your property has gone out of business. . If you're not going to tweet -- delete!
With sincere thanks to @MattParson and Travel Trade Gazette for their major contributions to this evolving list:
Hilton Anaheim http://twitter.com/hiltonanaheim
1896 House Inn Williamstown http://twitter.com/1896House
Absolute Hotel http://twitter.com/absolutehotel
Admiral Peary House http://twitter.com/HilaryJonesME
Allison Hotel, Oregon http://twitter.com/AllisonInnSpa
aloft Rosemont http://twitter.com/aloftORDhotel
Amelia Island Plantation http://twitter.com/aipfl.com
Andon-Reid Inn http://twitter.com/andonreidinn
Aqua Hotels & Resorts http://twitter.com/aquahotels
ArtsHotel, Lancaster http://twitter.com/ARTSHOTEL
Authentic Seacoast Resorts http://twitter.com/AuthenticCoast
Base 2 Stay Hotel http://twitter.com/BASE2STAY
Barcelo Tat Beach http://twitter.com/Hotel_Tatbeac
Beacon Hotel Miami http://twitter.com/beaconmiami
Berkeley Hotel Richmond http://twitter.com/BerkeleyHotel
Best Western Chi Downtown http://twitter.com /bestwestern
Best Western Lk Buena Vista http://twitter.com/lakebuenavista
Best Western Seattle Airport http://twitter.com/BWAirportExec
Biltmore http://twitter.com/ArizonaBiltmore
Blue Rainbow Apts http://www.twitter.com/bluerainbowuk
Boardwalk Beach Resort http://twitter.com/Boardwalk_Beach
Bookings-Hotels.com http://twitter.com/BookingsHotels
Bostelmann's Hotel http://twitter.com/bostelmanns
Botley Park Hotel, Golf & CC http://twitter.com/botleypark
Broadway Hotel, New York http://twitter.com/BroadwayHotel
Brown's Hotel http://twitter.com/Browns_Hotel
BW Reeds Hotel, Humber http://twitter.com/bwreedshotel
Cadillac Hotel Venice Beach http://twitter.com/cadillachotel
Canary Hotel Santa Barbara http://twitter.com/Canary_Hotel
Caro Hotel http://twitter.com/CaroHotel
Casa Monica St Augustine http://twitter.com/casamonica
Castleton House Hotel http://twitter.com/veritywebster
Cathedral Mountain Lodge http://twitter.com/cathedralmtn
Cavallo Point San Fransisco http://twitter.com/cavallopoint
Charles Hotel Cambridge http://twitter.com/CharlesHotel
Chateau Motel Florida http://twitter.com/chateaumotel
Chesterfield Hotel http://twitter.com/Chesterfield_MF
Cliff House Hotel http://twitter.com/CliffHouseHotel
Coast & Country Hotels http://twitter.com/coastcountry
Colony South http://twitter.com/colonysouth
Comfort Inn Herndon, WA http://twitter.com/comfortinn
Comfort Suites Airport & Cruise Port Fort Lauderdale http://twitter.com/comfrtsuitesfll
Commodore Hotel http://twitter.com/commodorehotel
Courtyard by Marriott Copley Boston http://twitter.com/CourtyardCopley
Courtyard Marriott Hutchinson Island http://twitter.com/lmgilrane
Crowne Plaza Phoenix http://twitter.com/CrowneHotelPHX
D Hotel http://twitter.com/thedhotel
Deerhurst Resort, Ontario http://twitter.com/DeerhurstResort
Diamond Resorts – http://twitter.com/diamondresorts
Dolce Hotels http://twitter.com/Dolce_Hotels
Doubletree Downtown Disney http://twitter.com/DoubletreeWDW
Doubletree Hotel Chicago http://twitter.com/arlingtnhtsildt
Doubletree Hotels http://twitter.com/doubletreehtls
Doubletree, New York http://twitter.com/SYRDT
Duane Street Hotel, New York http://twitter.com/duanestreet
Eco Hotels of the World http://twitter.com/ehotw
Elms Resort & Spa http://twitter.com/ElmsResort
Embassy Suites http://twitter.com/Embassy_Suites
Embassy Suites Miami Airport http://twitter.com/YosieESHotelMia
Embassy Suites North Illinois http://twitter.com/mbasysuitenorth
Embassy Suites, Greenville http://twitter.com/EmbassySuitesGv
Enchantment Resort http://twitter.com/EnchantmentAZ
Executive Hotel Seattle http://twitter.com/ExecutiveHotelP
Fairmont Hotels http://twitter.com/fairmonthotels
FDR Resorts www.twitter.com/fdrresorts
Four Points Sheraton http://twitter.com/FPbS_Bangor
Four Seasons http://twitter.com/FourSeasons
Frog's Leap Inn http://twitter.com/bullfrog55
Gaylord Palms http://twitter.com/GaylordPalms
Glasgow hotels http://twitter.com/glasgowhotel
Golden Palace http://twitter.com/hk695
Grand Luxury Hotels http://twitter.com/GrandLuxury
Gran Hotel Regent http://twitter.com/hotelregente
Grand Panama http://twitter.com/GrandPanama
Andalucia Plaza http://twitter.com/H10AndaluciaPla
Half Moon http://twitter.com/HalfMoonJamaica
Handlery Hotels http://twitter.com/HandleryHotels
Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas http://twitter.com/hardrockhotellv
Hatters Hostel http://twitter.com/hattershostel
High Peaks Resort http://twitter.com/HighPeaksResort
Hilton Bellevue, Seattle http://twitter.com/hotelexperienc
Hilton BWI Baltimore http://twitter.com/HiltonBWI
Hilton Deerfield Beach Boca Raton http://twitter.com/drfldbchhilton
Hilton Longboat http://twitter.com/HiltonLongboat
Hilton Sedona http://twitter.com/HiltonSedona
Holiday Inn Express New York http://twitter.com/HIEChesterNY
Holiday Inn Express, Hauppauge http://twitter.com/MattieHotels
Holiday Inn Panama City Beach http://twitter.com/GrandPanama
Holiday Inn San Diego/Bay http://twitter.com/HolidayInnSDbay
Hollywood Beach Marriott http://twitter.com/hywdbchmarriott
Holman Ranch http://twitter.com/holmanranch
Hostels 24/7 http://twitter.com/hostels247
Hotel 1898 http://twitter.com/hotel1898
Hotel Albin http://twitter.com/hotelalbin
Hotel Azar http://twitter.com/hotelazar
Hotel Belmont http://twitter.com/dallasinsider
Hotel Bergs http://twitter.com/HotelBergsRiga
Hotel Biba West Palm Beach http://twitter.com/HotelBiba
Hotel Britannia http://twitter.com/HotelBritannia
Hotel Cabina Oasis http://twitter.com/HotelElOasis
Hotel Caesar http://twitter.com/HotelCaesar
Hotel Clybaun http://twitter.com/hotelclybaun
Hotel Condado http://twitter.com/HotelCondado
Hotel de Banville http://twitter.com/hotelbanville
Hotel deLuxe, Portland http://twitter.com/Hotel_deLuxe
Hotel Donaldson http://twitter.com/Hotel_Donaldson
Hotel Fifty http://twitter.com/hotelfifty_lgbt
Hotel Garbe http://twitter.com/hotelgarbe
Hotel Giraffe, New York http://twitter.com/hotelgiraffe
Hotel Guadalmina http://twitter.com/guadalmina
Hotel Indigo Illanois http://twitter.com/HotelIndigoVH
Hotel Las Vegas http://twitter.com/vegasmalaga
Hotel Los Apus http://twitter.com/Hotel_Los_Apus
Hotel Lucia, Portland http://twitter.com/Hotel_Lucia
Hotel Max, Seattlre http://twitter.com/hotel_max
Hotel Mediterraneo http://twitter.com/ahmediterraneo
Hotel Preston, Nashville http://twitter.com/hotel_preston
Hotel Sant'Elena http://twitter.com/Hotel_SantElena
Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim http://twitter.com/barockschloss
Hotel Stella delle A http://twitter.com/stelladellealpi
Hotel Teatro http://twitter.com/Hotel_Teatro
Hotel Wartburg http://twitter.com/hotelwartburg
Hyatt Huntington Beach http://twitter.com/HyattHB
Hyatt McCormick Chicago http://twitter.com/HyattMcCormick
Hyatt Place Ontario http://twitter.com/HPOM
Hyatt Place Richmond Airport http://twitter.com/HyattPlcRicAP
Hyatt Regency Tamaya http://twitter.com/HR_Tamaya
Hyatt Rosemont http://twitter.com/HyattRosemont
Hydeaway Inn http://twitter.com/hydeawayinn
Hyde Park Towers Hotel http://twitter.com/hydeparktowers
Inn at Saint Mary's Indiana http://twitter.com/iasm
Intercontinental Montelucia http://twitter.com/Montelucia
Iron Horse Hotel, Milwaukee http://twitter.com/ironhorsehotel
Isaacs Hostel http://twitter.com/IsaacsHostel
JDV Hotels http://twitter.com/JDVHotels
Key Largo Bay Beach Resort/Marriott http://twitter.com/keylargomarriot .
Knoxville Quality Inn http://twitter.com/knoxqualityinn
La Quinta Springfield http://twitter.com/laquintainn
Lake Austin Spa Resort http://twitter.com/lakeaustinspa
Lakeway Resort & Spa, Austin http://twitter.com/lakewayresort
Lands of Loyal Hotel http://twitter.com/veritywebster
La Suite Hotel 37 http://twitter.com/LaSuiteHotel37
Langham Hotel http://twitter.com/Langham_London
Larkspur Hotels http://twitter.com/LarkspurHotels
Leading Hotels of the World ttp://twitter.com/LeadingHotels
Le Meridien Hotel Piccadilly http://twitter.com/LM_Piccadilly
Leseggiole http://twitter.com/leseggiole
Loews Hotels http://twitter.com/Loews_Hotels
Londo Lodge http://twitter.com/londolodge
Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa http://twitter.com/LordElginHotel
Luxe Hotels http://twitter.com/luxeworldwide
Luxor Las Vegas http://twitter.com/LuxorLV
Macdonald Hotels http://twitter.com/MacdonaldHotels
Majestic Hotel http://twitter.com/hotelmajestic
Marriott Annapolis http://twitter.com/annapolishotel
Marriott Timber Lodge Tahoe http://twitter.com/Marriott_Tahoe
Mayfair Hotel http://twitter.com/TheMayFairHotel
MGM Grand, Las Vegas http://twitter.com/mgmgrand
Mike Ditka's Runaway Beach Club http://twitter.com/runawaybeach
Mill House Inn http://twitter.com/millhouseinn
Millenium Hotels http://twitter.com/MillenniumPR
Montague Hotel http://twitter.com/Montague_Hotel
Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa http://www.twitter.com/mirrorlakeinn
Modern Hotel Idaho http://twitter.com/modernhotel
Monterilla Hotel http://twitter.com/monterillahotel
Mountain Home Inn http://twitter.com/mountainhomeinn
Mustapha's Place http://twitter.com/mustaphasplace
Napa Valley Marriott http://twitter.com/napamarriott
New Yorker http://twitter.com/newyorkhotel
Nickelodeon Hotel http://twitter.com/nickhotel
Nu Hotel, New York http://twitter.com/nuhotel
Nuvo Hotel Suites http://twitter.com/nuvohotelsuites
Omni Hotels http://twitter.com/OmniHotels
One Ocean Resort http://twitter.com/OneOceanResort
Pacific Palms Resort http://twitter.com/pacificpalms
Peabody Memphis http://twitter.com/PeabodyMemphis
Peech Hotel http://twitter.com/ThePeechHotel
Personality Hotels (SF) http://twitter.com/personalityhtls
Phoenix Grand, Salem http://twitter.com/phoenixgrand
Pier House Resort and Spa http://twitter.com/PierhouseKW
Pleasant Holidays http://twitter.com/PleasantHoliday
Portofino Island Resort and Spa http://twitter.com/PortofinoIsland
Post Ranch Inn http://twitter.com/postranchinn
Preston Cross Hotel http://twitter.com/pxh
Pueblo Bonito http://twitter.com/PuebloBonito
Quality Inn, Seattle http://twitter.com/qualityinn
Radisson Port Canaveral http://twitter.com/RadissonShan
Raemoir House Hotel http://twitter.com/veritywebster
Ramada Limited http://twitter.com/ramada
Ramada Limited, Salt Lake City http://twitter.com/ramadasaltlake
Ranch Australia http://twitter.com/ranchaustralia
Reading Crowne http://twitter.com/readingcrowne
Red Carnation Hotels http://twitter.com/red_carnation
Renaissance Aruba http://twitter.com/ArubaResort
Retro Suites Hotel, Ontario http://twitter.com/retrosuites
Riverside Marriott http://twitter.com/riversidehotel
Robert Ruark Inn, North Carolina http://twitter.com/robertruarkinn
Roger Smith Hotel, New York http://twitter.com/rogersmithhotel
Roosevelt Hotel Chicago http://twitter.com/RoosHotSA
Rosen http://twitter.com/rosenhotelsorl
Rosewood Country Inn http://twitter.com/rosewoodinn
Royal Cliff Beach Resort http://twitter.com/royalmice
Royal Ramblas http://twitter.com/royalramblas
San Juan Marriott http://twitter.com/SJMarriott
Seaport Hotel Boston http://twitter.com/seaportboston
Sedona Rouge http://twitter.com/sedonarouge
Sheraton Maui http://twitter.com/SheratonMaui
Sheraton San Diego Mission Valley http://twitter.com/sheratonmv
sohotel, New York http://twitter.com/sohotel
St Christopher's Inn http://twitter.com/stchostels
Stafford Hotel http://twitter.com/staffordhotel
Stanford Terrace http://twitter.com/StanfordTInn
Starwood Hotels http://twitter.com/StarwoodBuzz
Story Bridge Hotel, Brisbane http://twitter.com/sbhotel
Sunset Beach Club http://twitter.com/SunsetBeachClub
SVH Resorts http://twitter.com/svhresorts
Tablet Hotels http://twitter.com/TabletHotels
The Albion Hotel, Ontario http://twitter.com/thealbionhotel
The Bermuda Inn Fla http://twitter.com/thebermudainn
The Canyons Resort, Utah http://twitter.com/thecanyons
The Drake Hotel, Toronto http://twitter.com/TheDrakeHotel
The Lanesborough Hotel http://twitter.com/lanesboroughLON
The London Marriott Hotel http://twitter.com/LondonMarriott
The Malmaison Hotel http://twitter.com/TheLondonMal
The May Fair Hotel http://twitter.com/TheMayFairHotel
The Queen Mary in Long Beach http://twitter.com/TheQueenMary
The Torridon http://twitter.com/thetorridon
The View Hotel http://twitter.com/the_view_hotel
The White Rabbit Inn B&B http://twitter.com/WhiteRabbitInn
Tiara Hotels & Resorts http://twitter.com/TiaraHotels
TorreviejaVillas http://twitter.com/VillaTorrevieja
Traders Hotel http://twitter.com/tradershotelkl
Travel Charme http://twitter.com/TravelCharme
Valley River Inn, Oregon http://twitter.com/ValleyRiverInn
Vegas hotels http://twitter.com/vegascom
Villa Marina http://twitter.com/villamarina
Watermill Hotel http://twitter.com/watermillhotel
Windsor Court New Orleans http://twitter.com/WindsorCourt
Windsor Gardens Palm Beach http://twitter.com/WindsorG
Comments
Hello, great list!
We maintain a list of Hotels on Twitter on our blog - it's updated daily as more hotels sign up.
resideohotels.blogspot.com
You can find us on Twitter as well: @resideo - twitter.com/resideo
Great article Sarah. I started the Travel Marketing column here on Examiner.com ( Travel Marketing Examiner in an effort to help hotels and lodgings (and all areas of Travel) of all shapes and sizes use social media as a free and exciting marketing medium.
A great example of a lodging entity using Twitter to great success, for both the business & customer, is Tremain Street Cottages in Mount Dora. (@MountDora) I've written about Brain and his efforts on both of my columns, and in fact, that work, as well as Tweeting about it, have brought him even more business.
Twitter Works! Period.
And your list here will show folks who they can get in touch with... provided, as you say, they actually Tweet!
Again, great article!
Rori
I am @hhotelconsult and @thehotelshotel and @foodbevfeed. I saw all my clients in there save @wilburhotspring... but they are fairly new. It is exciting to see this expand... not because of the "yay twitter" factor, but because there is real commerce, real ROI, and real guest interaction. For all those skeptics that aren't sure what it's about... this is my latest piece on the concierge 2.0 / e-concierge / online concierge phenomenon....
www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/2009/07/23/4-steps-to-becoming-a-successful-concierge-2-0-for-your-property/
It isn't a cult, it isn't a gimmick... it is a tool to better your hotel, as well as book guests. Don't be shy about it.... it's just a tool, as is all of social media. Who knows how long these individual tools will be around, but as social media matures and grows - they will certainly be honed into more important and successful enterprises. One thing is that I couldn't have said all that on twitter, so there are limitations. =)
hi, great list, thanks for including us.
the way we approach twitter is like a paid subscription for news/updates. what would we pay a penny for? we try not to be all about selling, but about sharing useful information and tips with our followers
Thanks for sharing this great resource, Sarah, and congrats on the hotelmarketing.com mention today. It made me smile BIG to see an Examiner linked there! I'm happy to make your acquaintance, and I'm going to subscribe to your column to further my knowledge re: social media marketing.
Nice list, but where are we? :-) We're Dubai's third most tweeting hotel after all. @bonningtontower, if you want to add us.
What about spanish HOtels as @horizonte24 ?
I love what hotels are doing! Think outside of the box, not everyone on Twitter is a tier one city - we write about Omaha!
Find us at @HiltonOmaha - twitter.com/hiltonomaha
Great article! Here are a few more hotels to add to the list. We've been using it with our hotels since the first of the year with great success.
@depotmpls
@tchoteldeals
@kipspub (part of one of our Marriott hotels)
@CountryInnClive
@RIVancouverWA
@TPSMpls
@CourtyardPDXSE
I'll be following you now on Twitter for more great insights!
@aimeecheek
I'm Cocoa - I'm brown, round and furry - chief resident chocolate lab at the Best Western Chocolate Lake, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. <tail wagging>
twitter.com/TheHotelDog
Great Post ! I love to see all the hotels embracing SM -
We at Roger Smith have a new twitter name that I wanted to mention. we are now @RSHotel
Thank you for the mention !
You can find the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel on Twitter as well. Follow us for information on deals, specials and events at our hotel!
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