Skift Take
Brands that know their audience best and cater to their dreams will gather momentum.
The dreaming phase of travel is in full bloom and audiences responded well to visualizations of jaw-dropping vistas and posh places to see and be seen.
The hotels below range from world-renowned hotel brands that have thousands of properties, including some on remote islands, to boutique hospitality groups with 30 properties in lesser populated cities. They cater to business travelers, wedding parties, foodies and escapists.
The top 10 are calculated using our Skift Score, which takes into account social media performance on an absolute basis, as well as relative to within a company’s specific industry. It compares metrics across platforms and provides an intelligent measure of competitive edge.
| Name | Skift Score | Facebook Likes | Twitter Follows | Instagram Followers | Youtube Video Views |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Hotels | 814 | 348,950 | 48,387 | 10,133 | 7,519,354 |
| Loews Hotels | 763 | 44,154 | 31,115 | 4,820 | 737,205 |
| Four Seasons Hotels | 713 | 271,400 | 147,269 | 64,160 | 2,954,956 |
| Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts | 707 | 1,148,916 | 17,375 | 9,087 | 741,278 |
| Sandals Resorts | 704 | 560,600 | 102,188 | 21,528 | 4,064,828 |
| Marriott Internat’l | 696 | 225,453 | 342,047 | 21,297 | 342,632 |
| Kimpton Hotels | 693 | 75,487 | 36,695 | 4,567 | 581,251 |
| Hilton Hotels | 677 | 1,256,287 | 165,405 | 15,325 | 682,400 |
| Mandarin Oriental | 651 | 153,959 | 81,548 | 6,167 | 349,301 |
| Fairmont Hotels | 645 | 171,232 | 105,708 | 9,134 | 447,500 |
Source: SkiftIQ
Much of hotel brands’ notable social media activity last month took place on Instagram. The Skift Score average for the 10 brands was unchanged at 705 from September’s average. Intra-month moves showed that Hyatt Hotels continued to outperform the rest of the hotel brands despite being mediocre in its following on the four platforms; Four Seasons climbed its way up to 3rd from 6th place; and Sandals Resorts and Marriott International fell two places, to 5th and 7th position, respectively.
Four Seasons tapped into its fans’ travel dreams with images reflecting a picturesque beach and an ornate hotel dining experience. The engagement on these back-to-back posts, in addition to its Instagram community interaction, helped the brand move up the ranks.
In comparison to the other nine brands, Fairmont Hotels was the only one that had notable conversations on Twitter. A post about one of its properties resulted in conversations about positive recollections of previous stays and customer appreciation. Although Fairmont remained in 10th place, these interactions further increased engagement because the users who commented also favorited the brand’s replies.
The social activity on this platform was driven by three brands. Four Seasons appealed to couples in paradise and the pursuit of opulence; Kimpton Hotels celebrated marriage equality victories in five states –Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Utah — with a trending hashtag; and Hilton Hotels rallied its golf and horserace fans in San Diego, which coincided with the annual Bing Crosby Meet.
YouTube
Publishing a video on YouTube about the ideal wedding venue and authentic Chinese cuisine experience and sharing it on Facebook drove views on Shangri-La Hotels’ YouTube channel.
The Daily Newsletter
Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.
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Tags: facebook, fairmont hotels, four seasons, hilton, hotel brands, hyatt, instagram, kimpton, loews, mandarin oriental, marriott, Sandals Resorts, shangri-la, skiftiq, social media, twitter, youtube
Photo credit: A balcony overlooking a tropical landscape from a hotel property in Koh Samui, Thailand. Four Seasons / Instagram