Let's face it: we all use Facebook every single day. We look forward to the opinions of our friends, no matter what the topic, and more importantly, we trust them. This trust is exactly what big online travel websites, such as TripAdvisor, Travelocity and Expedia.com.au rely on. In fact, social networking is one of the most authoritative forces driving travel planning today, and using Facebook can score you a real travel bargain.
Share your holiday photos
A recent poll by flights comparison website Skyscanner found that more than half (52%) of people were inspired to book a holiday to the same place as their friends after seeing holiday snaps on Facebook. So go ahead and browse those photos in your spare time and if you see something you like, get your friend to post a link to where they booked it. Return the favour, too.
Review and read TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, which attracts over 38 million unique users a month, joined forces with Facebook last year (2010) to create a way of sharing travel recommendations across both platforms. Users can search for a destination or hotel page on
TripAdvisor, log into their Facebook account using Facebook Connect and then see who's been there. Using this function is a great way of asking for extra information, like how your friend got to travel to that destination. Did they get a great holiday deal? If so, where from?
'Like' different travel companies on Facebook
When you 'like' different travel companies on Facebook, their posts appear on your feed, and some companies post their latest travel bargains and deals. It's a good idea to 'like' as many as possible to better your chances of hearing about these bargains before they all get snapped up.
Talk to the people behind the companies
Expedia.com.au have a very active Facebook page and they often interact with their customers this way. So too do
STA Travel.
Virgin Blue is always up for a discussion on cheap flights around Australia. As well as finding the odd amazing deal as a result of this interaction, if you've had great service, or if something hasn't quite gone to plan in your travel arrangements, taking to the company in question's Facebook page can be a great way of getting attention. You can also share posts with other people if there's a deal you like, or want to discuss.
Grab a hotel bargain
Wotif.com have a very active Facebook page with almost 60,000 followers. They post offers almost every day, specifically for hotel deals around Australia. Their page is full of comments from satisfied customers, many of which have heard about and booked their hotel travel bargains as a result of seeing the offers on Facebook. It's a great example of how people view the company as a friend, and place their trust in it.
Grab a short travel break, or experience in Australia
Travel giant
lastminute.com.au makes full use of its
Facebook page and has a loyal set of followers. They make sure to post hot travel deals and bargain breaks most days and encourage their customers to share and comment. If you're looking for a travel deal, post what you're after on their wall and someone will get back to you with recommendations. You'll never be stuck for travel advice with these guys permanently on the ball. They also use their Facebook page to shout about various competitions, which if you enter, could even result in a free holiday.
Top travel offer pages to 'like'
Have you used any special offer deals for travel found on Facebook? Let us know below.
