Making waves: social media increasing cruise bookings
More than two thirds of cruise specialists receive as many or more bookings from social media channels than agents who maintain their own Web sites, says a new study from Amadeus and CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association).
The study also found that more than half, or 54 percent, actively use social networks to generate new business.
The study, which was prepared by the independent research firm Schwartz Consulting Partners, surveyed more than 1,000 cruise specialists about their engagement with social technologies. It also asked respondents to make predictions about their future engagements.
Another finding was that almost 20 percent of agents with clients younger than 45 years old receive approximately one-third of their leads from social media sources.
With more than 641 million members and a 35 percent annual growth rate, Facebook has become the second largest source of Web leads for cruise specialists after Google, according to the company.
Additionally, many cruise lines are moving ahead with plans to develop mobile applications for use during the pre-booking, pre-cruise and on-board phases.
By David Wilkening
David
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