Social media - tourism bonanza or bust?

The fast swap of information - good and bad - allowed by social media poses challenges for tourism operators.

Social media and tourism share a natural relationship, according to South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) marketing and communications director David O'Loughlin.

"As an organisation responsible for marketing experiences, our view is that travel and social media go hand-in-hand, as visitors naturally share their experiences within their own social network," he said.

"We know that referrals from family and friends are extremely powerful within our category so South Australia's presences within social media is very important."

The SATC operates accounts on both Twitter and Facebook which it uses to release new ideas and information while also sharing positive content about South Australia by other users.

But he believes marketing a brand or product successfully goes beyond just a social media strategy.

“At SATC we have taken a holistic approach to our use of social media, looking at how we can best use the strengths of each social channel within the context of our broader marketing strategy," he said.

"Our primary objective has always been to take a lead role in the creation and distribution of inspiring tourism content online, while continuing to remain a part of the natural conversations that are already taking place within the space.

“But it is also important to remember that social media is not a strategy in its own right. It is a marketing channel, and, like most marketing channels lives by the fundamental principles of consumer engagement. The quality of content is everything. If the message is not worth sharing, social media channels are useless.”

Scroll through the photos above to see how people on Twitter are remembering their time in your town.

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