BARCELONA, Spain, September 12, 2024 – Leading online travel agent eDreams’ latest global poll of 9,000 respondents* – including 2,000 from the USA – reveals how social media is encouraging travel and who’s most impressionable.
Going out of your comfort zone – has social media pushed our boundaries?
eDreams reveals that 48% of American respondents travelled somewhere they had not previously thought about travelling to, having been influenced by social media (compared to 37% globally). 18-34 year old Americans form the highest percentage of this group – 60% of them compared to just 27% among 55-64 year olds.
Posting for Keepsake:
53% of American respondents cite that their primary reason for posting to social media while on holiday is to preserve memories. This is the most prominent reason globally, – across all markets 46%. Drilling into the data, American women are more interested in posting for memories (56%) than men (48%), and 35-44 year olds make up the highest percentage of any age group (60%)
Posting for Clout:
In second place of reasons to post while on holiday, 12% of Americans report that it is to inspire their followers to discover new places
11% of American respondents report that they would not post holiday pictures on social media and this is the lowest percentage globally – compared to almost double that amount for all other countries (20%).
7% of Americans further report that they post to make their followers think that they have a great life – the highest percentage across all markets (compared to just 4% as a global average)
Destination Duped:
eDreams asked respondents if they had ever been disappointed by a new destination inspired by social media. 66% of respondents globally were far from disappointed, revealing that their holiday expectations were met. Just 28% reported being underwhelmed.
59% of American respondents said they had not been disappointed by taking the risk in being influenced by social media. Among the 36% who reported that were disappointed, 43% would post to social media anyway and 31% would not.
Staying positive:
Respondents were then asked how likely or unlikely they would be to post positively to social media if they were on a holiday that disappointed them. Almost a quarter globally – 24% – reported they would be “very unlikely” to post. When asked why, Americans reported:
39% to avoid dampening the mood of others (vs 34% globally) and made up of 43% men against 36% of women
38% to avoid being seen as someone who complains (vs 33% globally), made up of 42% of women and 33% of men
33% report that it is to preserve their self-esteem (vs 26% globally), made up of 42% men and 27% women
Staying authentic on social media:
Globally, a large majority (35%) agree they want to be authentic on social media. 43% of American respondents say they would be unlikely to post positively about a sub-par holiday experience, because they don’t want to influence travellers to somewhere that might disappoint (vs 41% globally). 39% of Americans want to be authentic on social media, compared to a global average of 35%, and 27% would feel guilty about not being honest with friends and family (compared to a 25% global average).
Understanding the impact of social media:
Americans are the most positive about social media and travel, with 28% of American respondents reporting that it has a positive impact on the travel experience itself (vs 21% globally). 54% of Americans believe it has a mixed impact (compared to 51% globally) and 9% a negative impact (12% globally).
*Poll:
Conducted by One Poll for eDreams ODIGEO of 9,000 respondents in international markets including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the UK. 2,000 respondents were from the USA. The poll was conducted between 4/5/2024 – 4/16/2024.
About eDreams
eDreams is one of the world’s leading online agencies; a true disruptor in the online travel booking sector since its foundation in 1999 in Silicon Valley. The business puts cutting-edge technology solutions to work on behalf of travellers worldwide. It offers the widest choice of flights from nearly 700 airlines as well as the greatest variety of hotels, flight + dynamic hotel packages, car rentals and travel insurance products. Founder of eDreams Prime, the very first subscription programme ever created in travel, eDreams is revolutionising the way people search for, book and enjoy travel. eDreams is part of the eDreams ODIGEO Group, one of the world’s largest online travel companies serving 21 million customers globally.
About eDreams ODIGEO
eDreams ODIGEO is the world’s leading travel subscription platform and one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Europe. Under its four renowned online travel agency brands – eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the metasearch engine Liligo – it serves more than 21 million customers per year across 44 markets. Listed on the Spanish Stock Market, eDreams ODIGEO works with nearly 700 airlines. The business launched Prime, the first subscription product in the travel sector which has topped over 6.2 million members since launching in 2017. The brand offers the best quality products in regular flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, dynamic packages, car rental and travel insurance to make travel easier, more accessible, and better value for consumers across the globe.