Survey: Friends and family influence destination choices more than social media
Skift Take
Half of the respondents cited a personal recommendation as the main influencer when choosing a travel spot, but the survey had no way of measuring the unconscious effects of social media on decision-making processes.
Family was more important than friends with 30% of those surveyed being predominantly influenced by their family compared to 12% by their friends.
The survey was originally undertaken by Directline Holidays to uncover key purchasing drivers for holiday decisions made by its customer base but revealed some surprising results.
Commenting on the findings, Maria Whiteman, CEO of Directline Holidays, said: “The internet and social media are undoubtedly growing in importance with websites like Tripadvisor helping customers to check that they are booking the right trip, but it is intriguing to discover that many still prefer a personal recommendation.”
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