Worldwide: A global survey by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG, has revealed that 85 per cent of consumers think social media travel content should be more inclusive.
Kimpton polled more than 4,000 people from Australia, Japan, the UK and the US to understand travellers’ views on social media content. Feedback indicates a desire for more diverse and inclusive content that is reflective of all individuals.
Specifically, findings include:
• 85 per cent think that travel brands’ social media content should be more inclusive of all kinds of travellers.
• More than one-third of survey respondents feel that they are not well-represented in terms of gender, race, disability, age and body size, or are unsure if they are well represented in the content they see from travel creators.
• 38 per cent of UK respondents say they are unsure, or do not feel well-represented demographically.
• 33 per cent of respondents feel that their personal needs are not being met or might not be met by offerings from travel brands.
• 21 per cent are unsure that travel content from creators on social media is inclusive of different travel styles.
• Nearly half of survey respondents (46 per cent) have some negative feelings towards the current travel industry content seen on social media.
• American respondents are most likely to say that content makes them feel self-conscious (24 per cent), whereas 15 per cent say that it makes them feel left out.
• Respondents in the UK are most likely to say that the travel industry content on social media makes them feel jealous (29 per cent).
• 84 per cent think travel brands could do more to support a diverse set of travel creators – especially those in the US (88 per cent) and millennials (88 per cent).
• 42 per cent of UK respondents are unsure, or disagree, that travel content from creators on social media is inclusive of a variety of demographic groups.
• 76 per cent feel that more realistic depictions of travel from content creators on social media would be more valuable than existing travel content.
Kimpton has established a Creator Collective, formed of a diverse group of six content creators, to guide the brand’s future social media strategy and its Stay Human campaign.
“At Kimpton we take pride in being a different type of hotel. Our founding principles have us rooted in human connection and delivering a Stay Human experience. We want our guests and our employees to be comfortable and embraced for being their most authentic selves, no matter their pronoun, skin colour or body type,” said Kathleen Reidenbach, Kimpton’s chief commercial officer.
“However, we know that social media and marketing content within the travel industry hasn’t always reflected the people and experiences that truly make up our global community. That’s why we are committed to diving deeper into the foundation of our Stay Human brand ethos with new brand commitments that will continue to change the way we work with creators, the imagery we share and the experiences we offer,” she added.
