Social Media and Sustainable Tourism Marketing …
305
2 Background
The increasing use of technology has been changing tourism since the late 1990s
(Buhalis 1998; Buhalis 2003; Buhalis and O’Connor 2005). Before the twenty-first
century, there was already the general idea that “tourist and the information are traveling: the tourist is traveling to the destination, the information about the tourism
product is traveling to the consumer” (Werthner and Klein 1999, p. 5). The so-called
e-Tourism (Anwar and Hamilton 2005) was growing and tourists were changing. And
during the last decade, informatics, digital technology, and SM have been assuming an
important role in the industry (Prideaux 2002; Smith and Rupp 2004; Buhalis and Law
2008), especially in relation to information exchange established on C2C interactions
(Gretzel and Fesenmaier 2009). Along with these developments, new technologies
applied to the sector led to a new way of distribution of products and services (Berne
and Mugica 2012; He et al. 2013). The classic relation between service providers
and consumers has virtually increased; tourists now have the opportunity to visit
the destination without leaving the couch. Furthermore, it is now possible to contact
the destination for information about places and attractions that once were inaccessible (Gretzel 2010), all this resulting from digital content and communication
improvements.
More than ever, people all around the globe, at any time, can access destination
information, and this is decisive at the time of planning their trip (Cristiana 2008;
Gretzel 2010; Leung et al. 2013). The generalised access to low cost flight prices also
contributed to an increasing movement of people across countries and continents.
This also changed the way that tourism is now moving people through different
European countries (Graham and Dennis 2010; Rey et al. 2011). Much of these
movements are planned, scheduled, and established via online mobile technology,
due to smartphones (Wang et al. 2012).
Tourism and hospitality businesses now recognize the power of SM and have been
using them to boost their levels of incoming tourists, enhance new customers and
enlarge their market opportunities (Wang and Fesenmaier 2004; Hays et al. 2013;
Wang and Fesenmaier 2004; Papathanassis and Buhalis 2007). Some studies prove
that the use of the Internet allows for a general increase in booking ratios and tourists
visits (Cristiana 2008).
On the other hand, digital platforms fed by user-generated content, like Trip
advisor, are powerful tools for the development of new business models in tourism
and hospitality (Miguéns et al. 2008). The addiction to technology by millennials
brings us face to face with an increasing number of digital phenomena. The creation
and use of SM networks, such as Facebook and, more recently, Instagram, materialises the importance that e-Tourism achieved and the increasing role of digital influencers (Magno and Cassia 2018). The power of persuasion of a SM influencer can
be established with its followers through engagement and posts (De Vermain et al.
2017). Currently, the impact of virtual word-of-mouth (Jugsun and Hardin 2010)
is now reproducing virtual forms of communication strategies, based on personal
experiences. For some reason, influencers are extremely decisive for some of their
305
2 Background
The increasing use of technology has been changing tourism since the late 1990s
(Buhalis 1998; Buhalis 2003; Buhalis and O’Connor 2005). Before the twenty-first
century, there was already the general idea that “tourist and the information are traveling: the tourist is traveling to the destination, the information about the tourism
product is traveling to the consumer” (Werthner and Klein 1999, p. 5). The so-called
e-Tourism (Anwar and Hamilton 2005) was growing and tourists were changing. And
during the last decade, informatics, digital technology, and SM have been assuming an
important role in the industry (Prideaux 2002; Smith and Rupp 2004; Buhalis and Law
2008), especially in relation to information exchange established on C2C interactions
(Gretzel and Fesenmaier 2009). Along with these developments, new technologies
applied to the sector led to a new way of distribution of products and services (Berne
and Mugica 2012; He et al. 2013). The classic relation between service providers
and consumers has virtually increased; tourists now have the opportunity to visit
the destination without leaving the couch. Furthermore, it is now possible to contact
the destination for information about places and attractions that once were inaccessible (Gretzel 2010), all this resulting from digital content and communication
improvements.
More than ever, people all around the globe, at any time, can access destination
information, and this is decisive at the time of planning their trip (Cristiana 2008;
Gretzel 2010; Leung et al. 2013). The generalised access to low cost flight prices also
contributed to an increasing movement of people across countries and continents.
This also changed the way that tourism is now moving people through different
European countries (Graham and Dennis 2010; Rey et al. 2011). Much of these
movements are planned, scheduled, and established via online mobile technology,
due to smartphones (Wang et al. 2012).
Tourism and hospitality businesses now recognize the power of SM and have been
using them to boost their levels of incoming tourists, enhance new customers and
enlarge their market opportunities (Wang and Fesenmaier 2004; Hays et al. 2013;
Wang and Fesenmaier 2004; Papathanassis and Buhalis 2007). Some studies prove
that the use of the Internet allows for a general increase in booking ratios and tourists
visits (Cristiana 2008).
On the other hand, digital platforms fed by user-generated content, like Trip
advisor, are powerful tools for the development of new business models in tourism
and hospitality (Miguéns et al. 2008). The addiction to technology by millennials
brings us face to face with an increasing number of digital phenomena. The creation
and use of SM networks, such as Facebook and, more recently, Instagram, materialises the importance that e-Tourism achieved and the increasing role of digital influencers (Magno and Cassia 2018). The power of persuasion of a SM influencer can
be established with its followers through engagement and posts (De Vermain et al.
2017). Currently, the impact of virtual word-of-mouth (Jugsun and Hardin 2010)
is now reproducing virtual forms of communication strategies, based on personal
experiences. For some reason, influencers are extremely decisive for some of their