Social media has made a huge impact on essentially every major industry across the world, and the business of travel and hospitality has reaped the rewards perhaps as well as any other commercial venture. Travel and tourism depends heavily on the use of word-of-mouth to spread opinions and recommendations, and social platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow customers to easily share tips and suggestions, which can be enormously valuable when positive. Some 92 percent of consumers said that they trusted earned media, which includes recommendations from friends and family members, more than any other form of advertising.

Moreover, a recent study showed that more than half (52 percent) of respondents changed their travel plans after researching their trip using social media. A heady 85 percent of travelers use their smartphones whilst abroad, and 52 percent of Facebook users said that their friends’ holiday photos had inspired their vacation choice.

This infographic from Four Pillars takes a closer look at the impact of social media on the travel and hospitality industry.

(Source: Four Pillars. Social media talk bubble via Shutterstock.)