Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Instagram: A Necessity for the Hospitality Industry

In an increasingly digital age where many people gather information from social media posts, it is essential for hotels to have a strong online presence. While many hotels have Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is often over looked since it has only recently gained popularity. However, being able to easily share photos with millions of people is essential for hotels as it offers future guests a more in depth look at what their stay at a certain hotel would be like.

 

Starwood Hotels and Resorts is one of the first hotel companies to begin showcasing its Instagram profile for all of its 1,500 worldwide properties. Starwood is integrating the more than 40,000 pictures shared on its Instagram by creating Guest Galleries on the websites for all nine hotel brands. Guest Galleries are organized into brand-specific categories, such as Fashion for W Hotels, Move Well for Westin, and Family Traditions for St. Regis. This offers guests a more direct look into what staying at certain properties would be like.

 
  
InterContinental Hotels Group is another large company promoting its Instagram with its Discover IHG program. Guests are encouraged to take a picture at any of IHG’s 4,600 hotels and use the hashtag #DiscoverIHG to win rewards points. This allows guests to interact with hotel brands on a new level not previously available.                                                                                      

 

Instagram goes beyond simply reading previous guests’ thoughts about a certain hotel on a review site. Why take someone’s word for it when you can see it for yourself before actually visiting.

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