Singapore-based Abacus International has confirmed that social media is now a principal communication tool for the travel industry. According to comScore’s latest report on social networking activity in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China) 50.8% of the total online population in the Asia-Pacific region visited a social networking site in February 2010, reaching a total of 240.3 million visitors.

Facebook.com ranked as the top social network site across the majority of individual markets in the region, enjoying over 400 million users. Facebook was followed by Twitter, which by March 2010, enjoyed over 105.7 million users in Asia alone.

According to Robert Bailey, President & Chief Executive Officer of Abacus International, the outreach of social media is ideal for active customer engagement.

During the European volcanic aviation crisis in April airlines not only used Twitter to keep passengers updated but also provided passengers instructions on how to change their reservations.

Facebook  and Twitter were also used by The Changi Airport Group, who encouraged its users to extend their hospitality to stranded passengers caught up in the emergency

“In a crisis situation, social media becomes an invaluable communications tool. It allows people to share information, provide real-time updates and provides an exchange platform for those seeking a way home and those who had a solution to get home.”

The Abacus executive also confirmed that the more sophisticated travel players through Twitter and Facebook are offering augmented reality services that push the boundaries of reality, with each “enhancing the traveller’s experience”.

“Travel players who recognise the magnitude of opportunities that social media opens up for them to market their products and services, actively engage their customers as well as enrich their customer’s travel experiences, are set to ride the social media wave into the next frontier of travel,” added Mr Bailey.

"Of all the general social networks, Facebook was the primary driver behind the immense growth in immediate referrals. “People going to social networks are no longer just the younger generation. If you project ahead, in a decade or less, the internet and social media savvy Generation C would be ruling the world,” confirmed Brett Henry, Vice President Marketing, Abacus International.