Kochi: The social media platforms provide a level playing field for small and individual entrepreneurs to promote their business, said Nicky Kriel, UK-based social media strategist and writer. Speaking to this newspaper on the sidelines of International Convention on Tourism Technology, she said tourism and hospitality sector in Kerala has tremendous potential to enhance the business by leveraging the benefits of social media platforms. The social media will enable a person to have conversation before he/she decides to take a decision on their destination. It provides an opportunity for a personal conversation, she said. This was not possible in the conventional media, she pointed out.
Anish Kumar P.K.
Ms Nicky however insisted that people needed to be educated about using the social media for scaling up their business potential. Every care needed to be taken for developing the right content and the messages, she pointed out. “We should remember people no longer talk to logos they wanted to talk to people”, she said. The advent of social media has also enhanced the responsibility of the entrepreneurs as any false promises will lead to serious repercussions. “Everyone with a mobile is a journalist nowadays. So a tourism promoter cannot make any false claim as he/she would be exposed immediately”.
Anish Kumar P.K., president of the Association of Tourism Trade Organisation (ATTOI), the organsiers of the ICTT, said the event has gone bigger with 17 industry leaders from across the world sharing insights. The two-day conference will deliberate on topics like ‘Content and Search Engine Strategy’, ‘Digital Tools: The way forward’, ‘Online Destination Marketing’ ‘Consumer Behaviour and Online Reputation’, ‘Social Media for Tourism’, ‘Online Tools’ and ‘Revenue Management’.
