Social media is making the world seem just that little bit smaller.

Social travel revenue has seen a huge growth increase of 103 percent – which dwarfs regular travel’s 4.03 percent growth rate – and 40 percent of travel companies now rate social media as increasingly important in connecting tourists with their business.

Today’s social traveller is savvy, using platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, plus hotel and restaurant reviews, to update their itinerary on the fly, and they won’t hesitate to switch allegiances or change their plans altogether. Conversely, social travellers who are highly satisfied will engage with the top travel brands and share their positive experiences with their friends and followers, boosting brand awareness, website traffic and sales.

This infographic takes a closer look at how social travel is taking to the skies.

(Source: Tnooz. Social travel image via Shutterstock.)