ILTM reveals new insights into the Luxury Traveller and Social Media in 2013

In the lead up to its 2013 edition, ILTM Americas (www.iltm.net/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 Luxury Traveller & Social Media: The Americas’ highlights that luxury traveller behaviour patterns - and specifically the way purchasing decisions are influenced - are now redefined by the ‘Millennial’ generation, who seek ‘Instagram-able’ experiences that are visual, one-of-a-kind and will generate buzz amongst their social networks. The Millennial generation (those born between 1980 and 2000) is responsible for the growth of social media in record time.

In 2013, there will be a total of 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% while social posting by Latin American luxury travellers increased by 304%.  The satisfactions levels among both groups also steadily increased.

‘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 on Monday 30 September. With a specific focus on the Americas, the report analyses the key findings of 541,186 reviews written for more than 2000 luxury hotels worldwide (researched between January 2011 and June 2013).  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 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.

Simon Mayle, Head of Marketing for ILTM comments:

“The Luxury Traveller & Social Media: The Americas’ report highlights the increasing importance of digital content in influencing today’s luxury traveller. At ILTM Americas, we will hear from leading luxury travel advisors who have created multi-voiced Facebook and Twitter campaigns which communicate their own true passion and knowledge for hyper-personalised travel experiences, and as a result, are seeing significant growth in their networks of Millennial clients.” 

There is a marked difference between North American and Latin American travellers’ preferences based on their social media reviews; North Americans seeking experiential travel with high values placed on helpfulness, empathetic service and aesthetics and Latin Americans prioritising the more key functions such as room and restaurant standards.

ILTM Americas takes place from 30 September – 3 October at Riviera Maya, Mayakoba, Mexico, hosting up to 69 pre-scheduled, one to one appointments between up to 230 buyers and 230 suppliers, with a detailed programme of social networking activities throughout.

  For further information regarding ILTM Americas, please visit www.iltm.net/americas

About ILTM

www.iltm.net

International Luxury Travel Markets (ILTM) are the world’s leading invitation-only events created for the business of luxury travel, bringing together the world’s most sought after destinations, ultra-luxurious accommodation, elite transportation and unique travel experiences showcased for the most discerning hosted luxury travel buyer via an unrivalled pre-scheduled appointment system and effective networking and information opportunities.

The next ILTM events are ILTM Americas – a one-to-one summit for travel agents from North, Central and South America – taking place at Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico: 30 September - 3 October 2013; ILTM Spa – inviting the best of the world’s spa specialist buyers – which will take place in London from 30^th September – 2^ndOctober 2013 and the global ILTM, now in its 12^th year – which invites 1300 of the most discerning buyers from across the world – taking place in Cannes, 2 - 5 December 2013.  Confirmed ILTM 2014 events are ILTM Japan – inviting both Japanese and international buyers on 17-19 March 2014 in Kyoto; ILTM Africa – now part of Reed Travel Exhibitions’ Africa Travel Week – taking place 28 - 29 April 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa profiling African product and inviting international buyers and ILTM Asia – which selects buyers from across the Asia Pacific – next takes place in Shanghai, 2 - 5 June 2014.