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MSC Cruises Collaborates With We Are Social To Strengthen Global Social Media Strategy

MSC Cruises has joined forces with We Are Social to develop its global social media strategy. MSC Cruises will work with We Are Social to strengthen the content strategy that lies at the heart of the conversation between MSC Cruises and various local followers all over the world.

We Are Social will activate an international team of 450 specialists based in 8 different international offices, a structure that will enable it to define and coordinate a creative approach that is consistent with each country’s needs.

MSC Cruises has always placed great importance in developing a relationship and dialogue with the wide community of holidaymakers and cruisers, so the new collaboration with We Are Social will allow MSC to enhance its knowledge of the needs of travelers and potential travelers in different countries and address them.

“This new partnership with We Are Social marks a ramping-up of our drive to engage with diverse online communities in ways that traditional marketing cannot. This is proof that MSC Cruises believes and invests in the potential of social media“ declared Luca Catzola, MSC Cruises Chief Marketing Officer.

“We will be rolling out exciting new content on all of our platforms as we head towards a bright future” added David Arcifa, MSC Cruises Corporate Social Media Manager.

Social media already plays an important role in the way MSC Cruises talks to travelers and cruise lovers, with the use of of a dedicated hashtag #MedWayOfLife, with over 2.4million Facebook fans, five million views on its dedicated YouTube channel, 80,000 Twitter followers and a burgeoning Instagram fanbase.

We Are Social Italia cofounders and managing directors Gabriele Cucinella, Stefano Maggi and Ottavio Nava stated: “Brands are understanding the increasing importance of a strategic and creative coordination of social activities. Our collaboration with MSC Cruises represents another step forward in this direction, to allow the evolution of the brand’s social thinking.”


// Source: MSC Cruises

Social Media Travel & Tourism Jobs for 7-5-2012

Today's Featured Travel & Tourism Jobs 

• Contractor - Social Media Marketer/Blogger - Sabre Holdings
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• Senior Digital Product Manager - Sierra Club
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• Social Media & Digital Marketing - Oregon Athletic Clubs Administration
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• Intern - Social Media - United Airlines
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• Social Media Marketing Intern - Hertz
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To view prior listings, click here

On the Beach: Social Media Great for Holiday Season Planning

"Holidaymakers turn to social media for reviews and discounts," say On the Beach

UK based On the Beach report that social media is a great way to research holidays this festive season; and not just flights, but hotels and car hire as well. More and more UK travellers are turning to sites like Facebook to find polls, discounts and reviews on their prospective destinations.

40 per cent of UK holidaymakers use social media to help them research, a recent survey reports. On the Beach say social media is useful for providing a range of information including reviews, flights prices and cheap hotels.

The report, which was published by the World Travel Market, surveyed over 1000 British holidaymakers who travelled locally or overseas in 2011. One third of the respondents using social media reported that they'd changed a hotel booking after looking at social media sources.

Alistair Daly, Marketing Director at On the Beach, commented that Facebook is a useful tool for customers to exchange information. "Our On the Beach Facebook Fan Page provides a forum for customers to quickly and easily give us feedback, suggest pages to friends and look up quotes. It's a great forum in which to ask questions and get professional advice for booking a holiday."

Daly continued: "Using Facebook, we're able to keep in touch with our customers, directly addressing their issues and interests, and alerting them to the best budget deals and cheap flights to Turkey, Majorca and Portugal, to name a few."

Source: PR Newswire

Social Media Talk [Video]

This Week's Picks:

• Social Media in Business Travel Featuring Chris Crowley (BCD / ACTE)
  http://bit.ly/vI5gFa
• Look before you dive into Social Media (Hotel News Now)
  http://bit.ly/rvch3C

 

EuropeTravel.net Debuts New Online Social Community

EuropeTravel.net has today debuted their new online social community and website where visitors can share information about travel and sightseeing in any of the 55 countries that comprise Europe. In addition, the goal of EuropeTravel.net is to help create an informative network that allows travel companies to reach and connect with new customers.

This groundbreaking new website is designed for both travelers and travel companies, and offers something of value to everyone. Travelers can easily create a customized account and start sharing with others on the network. They can upload videos of their travels, share photos and join discussions about European travel, news related to travel and about the amazing destinations in Europe.

This provides an excellent way for travelers to share information on their favorite destinations, but also to engage with others who share their passions, to explore new travel possibilities and to find great deals as well. Travelers can create social profiles that give as much (or as little) information as they want, organize their photos and videos, post entries and more.

For businesses, the benefits are manifold. For instance, resorts can easily create free classified listings on the site to promote their offers. Travel companies, resorts and other businesses can upload videos that highlight the beauty of their location, their amenities and more. In addition, all of these services are available to businesses and travelers at no charge – EuropeTravel.net is completely free to use.

Businesses also gain the advantage of being able to market directly to travelers, something that is not possible on other social networks and communities. Targeted marketing and offers made directly to those who are most likely to be interested offer the best possible conversion and ensure that travel companies, resorts and others are able to engage with new customers on a scale not possible previously.

To find out more about EuropeTravel.net, visit http://www.EuropeTravel.net, or connect with them on Twitter @europetravelnet.

 
Source: http://europetravel.net/press-release-europetravel-net-debuts-new-online-social-community/

What are the best social media vehicles to reach Chinese outbound tourists?

According to China Elite Focus, a leading marketing and PR agency, the favorite Chinese social media networks of Chinese "mass-affluent" travelers are http://www.renren.com/, http://www.kaixin001.com/, http://www.qq.com/ and http://www.sina.com.cn/.

High-end Chinese travelers, with the biggest spending capacity rely more on international social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter (with Chinese content).

Carnival Cruise Lines Unprecedented Social Media Event on Facebook May 1, 2011

In an unprecedented social media event, Carnival Cruise Lines is inviting Facebook fans www.facebook.com/carnival to experience the excitement of Carnival Magic's May 1 launch from Venice, Italy, with a series of videos that showcase the ship's inaugural activities along with its many unique features and innovations.

A series of 11 videos will be posted every half hour between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (U.S. Eastern time) on Sunday, May 1.  The videos take viewers on a journey as they enjoy a front-row seat at the Carnival Magic's naming ceremony, tour the ship's bridge, and learn more about the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub, WaterWorks aqua park, and Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurant, with insight from company executives who helped create these exciting new spaces.

The videos also offer an in-depth look at the ship's European ports of call and a recap of the day's events, including a chat with the ship's godmother, Lindsey Wilkerson, a former patient of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital who now serves as an employee and an ambassador of the organization. Carnival Magic's Senior Cruise Director John Heald will also answer questions submitted by Facebook fans as part of an informative "Ask John" segment.

After the videos are posted, fans can participate in a Facebook quiz based on the videos for a chance to win a seven-day Carnival Magic cruise for four to the Caribbean.

"Only a handful of people get to witness a ship launch in person so by using Facebook we're enabling fans from all over the world to be right there with us as we welcome Carnival Magic into the fleet," said Jim Berra, Carnival's chief marketing officer. "Those who are not already among our 725,000 and growing Facebook fans can visit us at www.facebook.com/carnival and simply hit the 'like' button." ww.facebook.com/carnival

The 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic will spend its inaugural season in Europe with a series of seven- to 12-day Mediterranean cruises operating May 1 through October 16, 2011. Following a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing, Carnival Magic will begin seven-day Caribbean cruises out of Galveston, Texas, on November 14, 2011, becoming the port's largest year-round ship.

For more information, visit http://www.carnival.com/


Source: Press release at PR Newswire

Tourism Video Channel of the Day: Visit Peru

Beginning today, we are featuring a "Tourism Video Channel of the Day" at www.twitter.com/socmediatravel.

Today, let's go to Peru! http://www.youtube.com/visitperu, Follow on Twitter @VisitPeru

Location-Based Social Media Is Ready to Go Places

Brand Networks brings location check-ins and Patches to ski resort Sunday River with GO, their new promotions platform leveraging Facebook® Places

The intersection of mobile, location and social marketing is a busy place for marketers. The launch of Facebook Places and recent announcement of Deals has delivered the concept of "checking-in" to over 500 million people. Yet the question remains: how will brands harness the power of social check-ins, engage consumers and ultimately drive business objectives?

Introducing GO, the newest offering from Brand Networks, a leading Social Solutions company and Facebook Preferred Developer Consultant. GO enables brand marketers to deliver customized location-based promotions leveraging Facebook Places.

The GO framework enables the creation of custom applications on Facebook Platform and for iPhone and Android devices. A tab on a brand's Facebook Page invites fans to begin checking in, playing the game, and unlocking rewards of all types. Once users grant permission for the application, brands can begin rewarding their check-in behavior. Removing the "friction" of additional mobile app installation means users are now ready to go places.

One of New England's largest ski resorts Sunday River is trailblazing with the first GO-powered promotion and application on Facebook called Sunday River Patches. This new campaign plays off the nostalgia of embroidered patches representing adventurous travel and aligned perfectly with the resort's new marketing campaign titled "Find Your Happy Place."

Nick Lambert, VP of Sales and Marketing at Sunday River, explains that "Social media is a key component of Sunday River's marketing mix and we're very excited to be working with Brand Networks to integrate Facebook Places into our social marketing strategy."

This season, Sunday River guests can check-in on all eight peaks, at select slopeside venues like the Foggy Goggle, or on the signature lift the Chondola to earn virtual embroidered Patches. Adding to the game play, users can use select keywords to their comments when it's snowing to unlock the "Powder Day" patch for example. Tag a friend, and each guest will reveal the "Buddy" Patch. And for the true Sunday River loyalists, check- in more than 10 times and you earn the esteemed "Local" Patch. Lastly, check-ins at select locations throughout the season will have the added bonus of enabling users to claim real promotions through Deals.

Brand Networks' new leader of Location-Based Social Media, Matt Handy, is no stranger to the social space. He joins the Boston company after several successful launches for PUMA Golf, including the PUMA Open, which leveraged a host of social media tie-ins and consumer engagement both on and off-site. As he states, "With GO, we're helping brands lay the foundation for promotions which reward frequency, loyalty and brand evangelism. Broadcasting your check ins and earning virtual rewards has intrinsic value for loyalists. We're also working with our clients to link this behavior with real rewards and offers, delivering on the promise of the new "Social CRM."

One thing is clear: Facebook has changed the game again with Facebook Places. Progressive companies and cutting edge brands are just starting to get in the geo-location game and offerings like Brand Network's "GO" are helping them get off the sidelines.

Source: PRNewswire

SinoTech Group signs deal: To provide PATA members with social media analytics data

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has joined forces with the SinoTech Group, a performance-based digital marketing company headquartered in Beijing. The SinoTech Group is known regionally as technology innovators in social media analytics, search marketing and affiliate marketing. These are all areas of marketing having increased impacts within the tourism and hospitality sectors.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed last week in Beijing by Greg Duffell, chief executive officer, PATA, and Dr Mathew McDougall, founder and chief executive officer of the SinoTech Group.

Duffell considers the partnership to be extremely significant, as there are over 500-million Facebook users across the globe who keep the online world updated about their travels. Blogs, followed by travel forums, are the second and third most popular online tools travellers use to share their experiences. Said Duffell: “With the increased popularity of social media and its powerful impact on sharing a traveller’s experience, it is imperative nowadays for travel-and-tourism marketers to learn how to engage with potential consumers by leveraging this particular online tool.”

Dr McDougall is very pleased with the signing of this partnership, as the group represents a wide range of international and domestic hotel groups, airlines and tourism groups. Said McDougall: “I am excited about entering into this two-year agreement with PATA to provide their members with social media analytics data. It is now widely recognised that social media is having a significant impact on the travel-and-tourism sector, and this is the start of addressing this need for a greater social media understanding."

Source: PATA

Interactive Twitter-Based Murals in the U.S. Promote Canada

Courtesy of Canadian Tourism & YouTube

Shop, Dine and Stay - Freeport, Maine

Courtesy of YouTube

For an interactive map of Maine, visit Maine Tourism 

Victoria Art Gallery in Bath signs up for Visitor Review platform

Following the success of review platforms for attractions such as Thermae Bath Spa, The Roman Baths, The Fashion Museum and Bath Historic Venues, The Victoria Art Gallery is now the 5th attraction in Bath to launch this innovative social media solution.

Using all their own branding, the Victoria Art Gallery review platform will be seamlessly integrated on their website www.victoriagal.org.uk from the 1st October 2010.

The solution will be used to better interact with their customers and to gather valuable comments and feedback about their experiences at the Gallery.

With over 1,500 decorative art treasures, and a fun-packed diary of activities, talks and tours, they hope to gather authentic customer insight, providing potential customers with the information they seek online before making a decision.

Some of the artists featured in the gallery include Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Jones Barker and Walter Sickert.

Luxury travel company Cox & Kings appoints Leapfrogg as digital marketing partner

Cox & Kings, the longest established travel company in the world, has appointed Brighton based digital marketing agency, Leapfrogg, to deliver an integrated search, social media and content strategy.

Cox & Kings’ history stretches back over 250 years when the company was involved in shipping, banking and other logistical activities before becoming a tour operator (in the modern context) in 1970. Initially specialising in India and natural history tours, more recently the company has broadened its range to include Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, Europe and Australasia.

Supporting Cox & Kings in-house marketing and PR team, Leapfrogg will be responsible for creating and executing an integrated digital strategy aimed at establishing Cox & Kings as the premier name in upmarket travel. Underpinned by the company’s core values of service and expertise, Leapfrogg is tasked with gaining market share for the core market of over 50’s, whilst also helping the company to open up to a new, younger audience.

Leapfrogg’s understanding of travel retail will ensure online tactics work in a ‘joined up’ manner, whilst also aligning with offline advertising and direct marketing activity to deliver a consistent multi-channel experience for prospects and customers.

Tourism Queensland Unveils New Branding & Tagline

 

Courtesy of Tourism Queensland on YouTube

Queensland Tourism Social MediaChannels:
On Twitter   On Facebook   On YouTube    

Related Buzz:  Sydney Morning Herald   Cairns Post   AdNews   Travel Agent Central