A team of the Università della Svizzera italiana USI in cooperation with Innoreg Sagl has investigated the role of social media in the Destination Management of World Heritage sites.
In the framework of the investigations, a methodology to analyze the impact of social media was established and the results used to elaborate recommendations regarding the use of the different platforms. Social media are very dynamic tools. To elaborate concise recommendations for their efficient use, fast and meaningful analysis are needed.
With a targeted and efficient use of social media strategies and action plans, low cost public relation activities are realized. It’s not primarily about marketing, but much more about communication and interactions between the users of the platforms. Therefore, the selection of the most suitable social media platforms can be considered as decisive factor.
Social Media in Destination Management
Touristic destinations are primarily targeted to awareness raising for values related to natural and cultural heritage as well as promote local offers, events and products. The data collected from social media have a special emphasize in visitor’s management, since they help to direct visitor flows and hence, balance over and undertourism. Furthermore, the interactions between visitors and local people and stakeholders are the basis of community building.
In tourism destinations, the social media reflect the interactions between the local communities – tourism - natural and cultural heritage.
Social media provide insights into:
Attractiveness of natural and cultural heritage in social media,
Ways in which cultural, natural, and other aspects of heritage areas and/or spots within them are perceived and interpreted by visiting communities,
Change of the total number of posts/reviews/lodging rentals over a certain period (e.g. 12 months),
Number of hospitality services (especially, “hidden” or unofficial),
Quality of hospitality services through reviewing,
Visitor flows and distribution,
Heritage areas and spots at risk of deterioration (e.g. by visitors’ behavior, changes, natural hazards),
Management and marketing activities (non)existing in heritage areas,
Quality of territorial governance and management.
Social Media in Product & Customer Relationship Management
Companies may profit from the same methods to understand the perception of the clients and the attractiveness of the products and services to use it in the Product Management as well as Customer Relationship Management. With a targeted planning of the social media application, they can become efficient and cost-effective management tools. They can facilitate the communication und interactions among collaborators as well as between the company and the clients.
Would you like to get a concrete project proposal for your company or destination? Contact our team at info@innoreg.ch
#SocialMediaActionPlanning #SustainableDevelopment #CommunityInvolvement #HeritageTourismDevelopment #BusinessEmpowerment
Innoreg Sagl: Engelbert Ruoss & Andela Sormaz, 3. Dezember 2020
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