IN the lead up to its 2013 edition, ILTM Americas, the Americas’ largest and most exclusive gathering of the luxury travel industry has revealed a new report identifying a unique insight into the experiences that luxury travellers seek and share online. The report highlights that luxury traveller behaviour patterns – and specifically the way purchasing decisions are influenced – are now redefined by the ‘Millennial’ generation (those born between 1980 and 2000), who seek ‘Instagram-able’ experiences that are visual, one-of-a-kind and will generate buzz amongst their social networks.
In 2013, there will be 278 million internet users across Latin America, for the first time surpassing the number of users in both North America and Europe. During the research period, social postings by North American luxury travellers increased by 130 per cent whilst social posting by Latin American luxury travellers increased by 304 per cent. The satisfactions levels among both groups also steadily increased. The report interprets and identifies the preferences and behaviour of current and future generations of luxury travellers and explains the key changes across the global luxury travel landscape.
‘The Luxury Traveller & Social Media: The Americas’ was produced by Circos Brand Karma, global leaders in hospitality industry digital analysis and management and will be presented by the company’s COO and Co-Founder, Mario Jobbe at ILTM Americas. With a specific focus on the Americas, the report analyses the key findings of 541,186 reviews written for more than 2,000 luxury hotels worldwide (researched between January 2011 and June 2013).
The report also highlights that 5000 Facebook ‘Likes’, a Tripadvisor rating of at least 4.5 and a strong presence on Instagram, YouTube or Pinterest are now considered the new minimum levels for social media excellence. North Americans and Europeans place the most online hotel reviews, but it is the emerging markets that lead in engagement on Facebook, Pinterest and other social networks.
ILTM Americas opened on September 30 and will take place until October 3 at Riviera Maya, Mayakoba, Mexico.