Out on Vacation

If there are any earth shattering developments in social media or PR or marketing or anything fun, leave me a comment. Take care. I'll be back with you in about a month's time.

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How Social Media has changed the way we travel

So I talked a lot about travel this week so thought I would just end the week with a travel round up.

Social media has changed the way we travel, in more ways than one. You can plan your trip using social media, meeting new people in the process, use it to enhance your tourist/explorer/adventurer experience and on the back-end, when things go awry, you can turn to your new media tools to rescue you from various levels of hell.

But it's also changed the way we travel on a basic level. We now have a larger audience at our fingertips with which some of us may want to share our experiences with, be it through photos or a blog, and be it with closest friends and families or the voyeurs of the cyberverse. Though we cannot pack our best friends in our bags and take them with us, through our images and our words, they are right there with us, no longer after the fact, but in the heat of the moment. The simple touch of a button on a phone, or on a Netbook has made MY experience, OUR experience, and that is something we did not have 5-10 years ago. Tweets and real time status updates (and BBMs) are the new check-in phone calls, without the static and long distance charges. Videos and digital images are the new living albums. And out of the newness are born photographers, videographers and authors of life - those who may not be published or recognised in the mainstream, but whose words and visuals mean a lot to someone out there, for one reason or another, creating an audience unique to them. No need to worry about spelling (unless I am reading it of course cause yes, I am anal about it!) or bad lighting (unless you are anal about it).

Social media affords us a window to our lives and the lives of others. The only thing you really have to do is decide if you want that window and how wide you're willing to open it.



Photo credits: Me

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Social Media is Hot over Iceland Ash

The immediacy and community of social media benefitted many of the millions of stranded travellers across Europe and the world. Sitting around in an airport is never fun. I have had my share of long layovers and having access to other people rather than running amok in a terminal was really a Godsend. I was never as unfortunate (knock on wood) as the "victims" of the Icelandic ash vs flightplans, but I can well imagine how having a channel to the outside world, to tips and help would lend to maintaining one's sanity in the face of uncertainty, especially after several days.

The Survival Guide page was one such page created on Facebook, where already over 1600 persons have been offering tips, advice and using the space for frustrated discussion.

Not only was it an opportunity for travellers to connect with each other and share their experiences and gripes, but it also afforded many of them the opportunity to find accomodation and support from others. On Twitter, hashtags like #getmehome, #putmeup and #stranded have provided tweeters with dozens of links to available hotel rooms, guest rooms, people willing to put up the stranded in a spare room of their private homes, etc.

The uncertainty lately with flightplans, with strikes and acts of God have made it even more important for social media to play bigger roles in the tourism and hospitality industry. Their crisis management plans not only kicked into high gear but also took to the cyberverse in a big way. Communication in this instance needed to be immediate and ongoing, with so many people being affected and taken completely by surprise. Not knowing when you're going to be seeing your home, your dog, your 2.5 kids because you're stuck in a foreign country can only exacerbate an already tenuous scenario. Twitter sites from airlines and hotels lit up like flash bulbs when news of the ash cloud stopping flights first dropped. Tweets and DMs have been going back and forth between airline representatives and passengers, as one can imagine. Despite not being stranded anywhere myself, I still took time to tweet @British_Airways yesterday on something related to the ash and their tweeters are on the ball, though it must be an extremely tough time for them all at the moment - passengers and airlines alike.

This Facebook group is just one of many which was formed within hours of the closure of European airspace to offer solace to passengers stranded miles from home in New Zealand.

There have also been a number of people who have used the opportunity to blog about their experience, from sitting in an airport terminal, to looking for more comfortable accomodation, trying to reach family in other cities, and the long, convuluted journeys home. Nadia El-Awady chronicled her Icelandic ash "adventures" in her blog, Inner Workings of my Mind. There are many more and which would be excellent reading, I am sure.

The silver lining in this ash cloud is that we are reminded that community still exists and though we use social media everyday for idle chatter or for business/marketing, we only fully appreciate how powerful social media communities really are in times of crisis. The help which many of the stranded have been able to get simply by logging on to Facebook or Twitter or Roadsharing via their laptops or their mobile phones, is testament to how important social media has become in our daily lives and how it can connect us to people we never imagined we would need to be connected to. Had this happened back in the 90's or maybe even 3-5 years ago, when social networking had not yet gripped our senses, I can only guess that the chaos experienced by those left behind would have been multiplied by 10,000. Here's hoping everyone gets back home safely in coming days and weeks.

Here is a really cool story about a webcam wedding which happened as a result of the bride and groom being stranded. Congrats to them. Ahh...technology. Isn't it great?

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Best Job Ever!!

No, not mine. But can I tell you how much I love these "Best Job Ever" promotions that have been popping up more often lately? They appeal to the littlest hobo in me and besides that, it's a great marketing strategy. How else to get people talking about your brand but to offer them an experience of a lifetime? The most recent BJE is the what CNN referred to as the Honeymoon Tester.

"Wanted: Luxury-loving couples available to globetrot for six months and get paid to test out the most romantic wedding and honeymoon destinations around the world....

...The winners will be asked to blog about their experiences a few times a week "when they can get out of the hammock after sipping a glass of champagne," Meleady said, and write for The Irish Times once a month.They will also be paid 20,000 euros (about $27,000). Hopefuls have until April 7 to apply for the "horrendous assignment" -- as the company teasingly calls it -- which starts mid-May."

This promo was born after the success of the BJE promo put on by Tourism Queensland, which was won by a lucky chap called Ben Southall, who has spent the last few months in isolated bliss, blogging about the wonders of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Both promos use social media heavily, with applicants being asked to create short videos introducing themselves and saying why they should be chosen. Then there is voting and online mania, and when the winner is selected there is blogging and photo taking and all that great promotional stuff - from the awesome minds and mouths of people NOT directly associated with the promoters. Because let's face it, tourism boards and travel agents are paid to sell and yes, the couples in this case will be paid for their "labour", but who better to sell to couples, than a happy couple? It's not rocket science but the promotions make it all the more exciting and attractive.

And there are others like 67 Days of Smiles, and even a winery got involved with the "Really Goode Job". What I love about it, and I think most people would love this aspect, is that you get real reviews from real people. It could be anyone. It could be a housewife, a student, your neighbour. It could be you. It is not someone with a marketing degree or someone with years of experience peddling hospitality, and selling dreams. It's the average Joe and Jane. It really changes the way we learn about travel destinations and emphasises the shift from destination websites with canned content, to social networking and user generated content. And as a traveller myself, I appreciate getting the traveller perspective over the canned stuff, and we already talked about my love for Tripadvisor and other such user sites. Not to mention, these promotions give the organisers brilliant marketing exposure. The couples have to promote Ireland and their videos are just the first step. The promotion brings a new audience of people who may never have considered Ireland as a honeymoon destination before. And paying a couple $27,000 vs paying an ad agency God knows how much to sell the destination - you don't need to be a math whiz to know that one is more cost-effective than the other. But it's not even about the money. The creativity of the couples and the personal accounts from the winners are worth their weight in publicity gold.

Hey, if I had seen these early enough, it could have been me! Shucks! Oh well...

Check out the Ultimate Job in Ireland site and vote for your favourite couple.

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Pedalling CSR to the masses

I heard about a great initiative this morning. The Crowne Plaza in Denmark is giving guests the chance to cycle their way to a free meal. The hotel has installed "two exercise bicycles hooked up to generators, so that when people start pedaling, they can produce some electrcity."

"Anyone producing 10 watt hours of electricity or more for the hotel will be given a locally produced complimentary meal encouraging guests to not only get fit but also reduce their carbon footprint and save electricity and money"

This is one of the most interesting initiatives I have heard about in a long time and I think it's great. Great innovation in corporate social responsibility. Not only can guests be encouraged to get fit, but it also directly links them and their actions to green issues and actively involves them in environmentally responsible activities. Though there are quite a few hotels which have green initiatives, how many of their guests actually support these? For example, show of hands, now:  Do you read the cards behind your bathroom door about the hotel's recycle/re-use policy when it comes to towels? How many of you actually know that a towel on the rack means you plan to use it again, and a towel on the floor or in the tub means that you would like fresh towels?

But, on the flip side,  how many of you actually take the time to hang your towel, and then the housekeeper changes it anyway? I cannot tell you how many times I have hung my towel up, with plans to use it again, and come back to my room and there are fresh towels waiting for me. I mean, sure we love fresh towels, but I don't change my towels at home after one use, and clearly there is no understanding or buy-in of the policy from staff.

And some people take vacation to the max. It's almost as though they go on vacation and their "green-ness", if they had any in the first place, goes on vacation too. Guests go out and leave the hotel room like a virtual disco ball, with all the lights on, the tv or radio on.

I like the innovation of this new green initiative. In the interview, the spokesperson for the hotel mentioned that the actual energy generated from the cycling does not really cover the cost of the meal, so the hotel in effect is not saving any money. But the impact it leaves is invaluable. I mean, it's fantastic for the hotel's CSR brand and shows they are willing to go the extra mile to do their part in reducing their carbon footprint. It also gives them something unique and creative to market, and for green-minded guests, it's a great selling proposition. It serves as an opportunity to sensitise guests to environmental issues. Guests can understand how much human energy it takes to power up a light bulb, or how their indifference can affect not only operations costs, but the environment. And the initiative gives these guests the chance to make a tangible contribution to conservation, totally independent of hotel staff who may not support or who may have no clue as to policies and initiatives (shame on you, housekeeping!)

I would probably be one of those who would take a go on the "power" bikes (once I am properly padded cause biking is not fun on the bum), because I usually try to work out on vacation anyway, and I know someone is going to take my towel against my wishes. The free meal is really to me, a bonus. So good job, Crowne Plaza!

What's the best green initiative you have come across on your business or pleasure hotel stays?

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What type of podcasts do you love listening to?

I spent the first part of my morning editing a podcast (the rest of the day has been a virtual blur). But I don't download what I have painstakingly sliced and diced onto my MP3 player. I have other interests besides work, thank you very much.

MP3 players have not only changed the way we experience music, but also the way we travel and sightsee. The podcast. A serious traveller's best friend. There are shopping trips and there are trips that are made for the trepid explorer, the historian, the connoisseur, the adventurer. Travel podcasts are my favourite type of podcasts because travel is one of my favorite activities and they can really breathe life into a trip. Guide books and maps are cool, but sometimes when your head is stuck down the bad end of a guide book, you can miss the life, the action around you.

You can either "listen up" before you head to your destination by downloading podcasts from fellow travellers about their experiences in a city or from tourism sites. Or you can get free audio guides that walk you through your destination when you get there. The best part about my last European vacation was that I could explore the mastery, the architecture and history at my own pace and not be tied down to a tour guide or shackled to a band of confused looking tourists. The audio guide was awesome, and was vibrant and comprehensive and the history lover in me was fulfilled.

As I plan for another big vacation this year, I look forward to cramming my MP3 player with as many cool podcasts as possible and listening up on all the tips and tricks needed to have an enjoyable stay. I just downloaded one from here, though perhaps I should be on the airline sites first before getting too caught up in the experience! This - also very cool and these as well. And if you're a solo traveller, or just someone who really wants to enjoy the experience, without the hassle and expense, there has to be a free podcast out there to meet your needs!

So I ask again, what type of podcasts do you enjoy?

Photo credit: www.telegraph.co.uk

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Vacation: When social media is not work! Or is it?

Vacation is a time to relax, or a time to seek out adventure. It’s a way to let go of your stress and live out your fantasies. That is, if the stress and pain of planning the vacation doesn’t kill you first. - Mashable

Aint that the truth? It's vacation planning time again. Now, I am an organiser. An anal organiser. A paranoid, anal organiser! I think when planning a trip, one HAS to be organised especially if you're trying to stick to a budget. It is near impossible to save on hotels, tours, activities etc if you don't plan and research. The trip itself is not supposed to be military style, but having an idea what you're gonna do, and when is essential. And as a single female traveller, planning takes on added importance, for reasons of safety and comfort.

But for me it is maddening cause I know what I want and what I don't want. The internet gives you choice and it also can give you so much information that it can be an overload on the senses. I usually cross reference when planning, with my main info resources being

Tripadvisor (my #1 guide!)
Frommer's (great for getting a prelim list of hotels and restaurants)
Lonely Planet
WikiTravel (I love wikitravel!)

I think I can now add Twitter and Facebook to the mix. I like that Twitter allows me to compile all my travel tweeters in a list so now when I am ready to get on the road to relaxation, I can simply go to my list and start tweeting/DMing my questions, without having to go through all the noise. And I follow my favourite hotel chains on Facebook for news on the all important specials/discounts! There are also sites like Travel Chums, where you can talk to other travellers who may have visited your travel spot already and can provide info, or who are going on a trip soon. If you so desire, you can hook up with a travel buddy who is going to the same place at the same time you are. I am still, even in this age of social networks and tweetups and the like, a bit paranoid about meeting up with cyber people in a foreign country, especially as Super Solo Traveller. (S on my chest!) But many people do use them, to meet new friends, have a guide to take one around the place, go out with, and whatever else they want to do.

And most important about social media sites for planning trips is the user generated content. Hotel marketers for example are being paid to show the hotel in its best light, so websites are usually gems of fabulousness. White sheets, luxurious looking rooms, smiley staff. Looks good, doesn't it? But then before you commit yourself to the place, you visit Tripadvisor and read something like this:

I could not even stay there! Checked in, went to the room after riding in the smallest,nastiest elevator ever, looked at the room and bathroom and RAN out! People doing drugs everywhere! All you can hear is banging on the walls and people screaming at each other! The room was GROSS, the bathroom was even worse! Nothing was even close to clean! Complete SMUT HOLE!!! I have never never seen a hotel like this! It needs to be condemned! NOW!!! DO NOT NOT NOT STAY HERE!!!

A real traveller review. This greatly aids my decisions, though at the same time, it greatly adds to my stress. If generally the comments are negative, then I move on, but sometimes they can be 50/50 and you're stuck wondering what if...

But the feedback from travellers on these social networking sites is invaluable, believe me. After weeks of driving myself crazy I got feedback like this which sealed the deal on which hotel I would eventually pass over my Euros to.

We were all completely happy with our stay, especially with the breakfast! We spent a day visiting the palace at Versailles (I think you would have to dedicate at least one day to this), as well as the Louvre. Right across the street from the hotel is a good restaurant. As far as the hotel though, if you want to get a relaxing night of sleep, I would book a room not facing the street, because it can be a little noisy with all the people out front. The rooms were not large, but comfortable. I hope this information helps! Have a great trip!

I did ask for a room not facing the street though I can sleep through anything, and I did dedicate an entire day for Versailles, and I am glad I did. But, I love the range of choice which the internet has allowed me for making important travel decisions. I can honestly say I have not had a bad travel experience yet after all my research and planning. I know where to find info and use my discretion to make choices which suit my budget and my expectations. I can ask my fellow travellers for suggestions and vice versa. I am such a social animal, it kills me.
 
Now if only the internet could help me with the all consuming, and clearly impossible task of packing light!

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Quickie

Hey peeps
It's been a great vacay thus far, and I want to thank everyone who has already sent birthday wishes and those who WILL. Much love and thanks to all my friends and loved ones who constantly remind me I am super duper blessed. Will write more when I get home.

-me-

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