WTM - LONDON- REPORT: US travel agents are increasingly turning to social networks to market to new clients according to research released yesterday at World Travel Market, the global event for the travel industry.
    
According to the Travel Industry Survey 2011 by Travel Weekly US, social media is now the third most popular marketing tactic to reach new customers after email and agents’ own websites. Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Arnie Weissmann revealed the trend during a WTM seminar on US Travel Industry Trends.
    
Weissmann said social media techniques are pushing down email usage which has declined from being used by 85% last year to 73% this year.

“Social media is now being used by 39% of agents and that really picks up among home agents. It is not only really efficient and inexpensive in terms of reaching into large communities but, as a home agent, it is really something you would have time to do and could focus on.”
    
More than 50% of home agents with an income bracket of $50,000 or less are using social media to reach new customers while for home-workers with an income of between $50,000 and $250,000 usage was 46%.
    
Weissmann also touched on recent consumer travel trends in the US to reveal that family and friends still trumps every other source people rely on when it comes to finding out about a holiday.
    
According to a survey from the YPartnership 52% of consumers consult family in the initial idea stages of a trip.
    
The figure jumps to 54% when it comes to the advice and insight phase followed by travel guidebooks at 44% and travel experts at 38%. The internet is also gaining in influence as a source with 38% using search engines and 37% consulting destination websites.
    
However, in the third stage, pricing and comparing, the web becomes the most prominent resource for 56% of consumers consulting online travel agency giants such as Expedia and Travelocity.
    
The YPartnership research was conducted on 2,539 consumers and is part of the Travel Weekly Consumer Trends 2011 report.