Savvy travellers are seeking authentic and realistic depictions from travel brands’ creator content. That’s the key takeaway from a recent global survey by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants into consumer opinion about travel content on social media.
Kimpton polled 4,000-plus people in Australia, Japan, the UK and the US and found an overwhelming need for more authentic and varied travel content that showed different people and experiences.
The survey also found there was a high demand for travel brands to do more to feature inclusive and diverse content creators and experiences.
When it comes to factors such as gender, race, disability, age and body size, 34 per cent of those surveyed felt they are not well-represented in travel creator content.
Over three-quarters (76%) of respondents valued more realistic depictions of travel from content creators on social media over existing travel content.
More than half (51%) of Aussies said they disagree or are unsure if travel creators’ content depicts travel realistically.
And FOMO is real: 53 per cent of Aussies polled said they felt left out when viewing travel industry content on social media with 29 per cent indicating that it made them feel jealous.
‘Stay human’ campaign
With these findings in mind, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has launched a ‘Stay Human‘ brand campaign with new content commitments to address these industry issues.
The IHG Hotels & Resort luxury and lifestyle brand has pledged to show more diverse and inclusive creators and experiences in its brand-level social media and marketing content moving forward.
To bring these commitments to life in the guest experience, Kimpton worked with a global group of diverse creators (including two Aussies) to form its first ‘Stay Human’ Creator Collective.
Kimpton will use the survey insights to introduce bookable Stay Human packages for diverse travel styles and personalities from February 2023.
For more info, head to kimptonhotels.com
