Social media for travel is changing the way people see the world and it is having a huge influence on the travel industry. A prime example of this is Loews Hotels, which allows its guests to make hotel bookings through Twitter. Another social media-loving destination is the Australia 1888 Hotel, which offers a free night stay for guests with 10,000 Instagram followers — this is good exposure for the hotel and a great deal that the influential Instagram user is bound to spread the word about. With perks like these, people will be snapping a ton of selfies at the hotel.
With the recent introduction of Pinterest’s Place Boards, this brings a ton of new opportunities for travel agencies, airlines and hotels to create captivating maps of must-see destinations or the locations of novel vacationing spots around the globe.
34 Clever Uses of Social Media for Travel
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Storm-Locating Maps
The Hurricane Sandy Crisis Map Helps to Prepare for This Natural Disaster
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Selfie-Friendly Hotels
Australia's 1888 Hotel is Instagram-Friendly
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Aerial Tweet Maps
Fast Company Design Aerial Maps Reveal Twitter User Data of NYC and London
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Interactive Graffiti Tracking Tools
Paris Street Art is a Website That Locates Murals on a Map
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Social Media Airports
The Virgin America San Francisco Terminal Checks-In on Foursquare & Facebook
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Social Metropolis Graphs
The Phototrails Project Maps Out the Instagram Signatures of Cities
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Prosperous Scavenger Hunts
Twitter's HiddenCash is Holding a SF Scavenger Hunt Leading to Money
27
Crowdsourced Travel Maps
KLM's Must See Map Lets You & Friends Create Maps by Selecting Must-Sees
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Illegal Animated Internet Maps
Internet Census 2012 Infected 420,000 Computers to Gauge Web Usage
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Crowdsourced Virtual Tourism
Remote Control Tourist Allows You to Visit Melbourne from Your Couch
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Social Road Trip Apps
The 'SmileDrive' App Integrates Social Media with Road Trips
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Photo-Fueled Car Competitions
The Mercedes-Benz' 'Take the Wheel' is a Competition for Instagram
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Facebook Tourism Tactics
Obermutten Campaign Posts Fan Profiles on Village Wall
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Artfully Crowdsourced Maps
'They Draw & Travel' Showcases Cool Travel Insights from Nomad Artists
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Social Media Urination Stations
AirPnP Allows Users to Lend Out Their Bathrooms to the Public
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Social Media-Obsessed Hotels
Sol Wave House in Spain is the First Twitter Hotel
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Tourist-Attracting Smartphone Campaigns
The ‘Post from Japan’ App Harnesses Picture Po
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Social Media Trip Engagers
The 'MHbuddy' App Let's You Share Travel Plans with Facebook Friends
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Tweeted Hotel Bookings
Twitter Users Can Book Their Stays at Loews Hotels with a Tweet
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Crowdsourced GPS Maps
'Streetview Updating by Hertz' Places Google Cameras on Rental Cars
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Social Media Loyalty Programs
The Starwood Hotels Foursquare Partnerships Help You Earn Points
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Twitter Airline Tickets
TweetAFlight Allows Instant Social Media Travel Transactions
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Hotel Social Networking Sites
IMGuest Connects Businesses and Travelers Together Online
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Travel-Focused Social Networks
Touristlink Makes Traveling an Everyday Topic for Web Surfers
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Social Pinboard Maps
Pinterest's Place Pins Help to Curate Better Travel Boards
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Real-Time Vacation Guides
The 'Suggestme' Travel Guide Finds Destinations Hot Now
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Location-Based Friend Tools
Lonely Planet Friends for Friends App is Perfect for Solo Travelers
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Personalized City Search Tools
MapQuest Vibe Lets Users Engage with Cities Interactively
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Nostalgic Time-Travelling Apps
The Timehop App Makes a Social Media Time Capsule of Yourself
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Seat Mate-Matching Applications
Finnair Airline Passengers can Choose Their Seat Mates
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City Discovery Apps
Mapnificent App Presents All Possible Routes Available from a Starting Point
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Lit Holiday Travel Charts
Foursquare Travel Infographic Lights up the Sky
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Tweeting Travel Agents
'Reach.ly' Trolls Twitter to Help Hotels Find Potential Guests
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Virtual Travel Exercise Experiences
The Teemo Fitness App Takes You On an Adventure
Related Ideas
Secluded Sanctuary Hotels
The Songjiang Hotel is Built Straight into an Abandoned Quarry
Deep Sea Livestream Feeds
The Okeanos's Underwater Robots Make Ocean Exploration Accessible
Efficient Edible Packaging
The David Edwards WikiCells Food Technology is Revolutionary
Eclectic-Tech Integrated Hotels
The Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel has Artfully Eclectic Interiors
Modular Fitness Furniture
The Jopple Stool Encourages Active Healthy Lifestyles
Online Cautionary Charts
The 'Teens and Video' Infographic Explores the Danger of Streaming Videos
High Fashion Skateboard Backpacks
The Couture Skateboard Backpack is Edgy and Stylish
Magnetic Smartphone Power Banks
The Case-Sticky-On External Battery is Conveniently Slim
Weaponized Smartphone Cases
These Unique iPhone Cases Designed Like Guns Will Make Heads Turn
Social Media-Fueled Motto Campaigns
This Ted Baker SS13 Campaign Encourages Tweeting Taglines
Luxurious Lighthouse Abodes
Pacific Bondi Beach Apartments in Sydney Will Light Up Your Life
Social Media Network Infographics
John Lanigan Shows How Visuals are Prevailing Online
Movie-Inspired Hotel Rooms
The Star Trek Hotel Room Offers Guests a True Trekkie Experience
Virtual Tourism Ads
The San Pellegrino Three Minutes in Italy Campaign is Remote-Based
Instant Filter Camera Lenses
The Lomography Petzval Portrait Lens is Inspired by 1840s Technology
Translating Beer Apps
The 'Pivo' App Helps You Order Beer No Matter Where You Are
Pinboard Web Shops
'Amazon Collections' is a Pinterest Look-Alike
Facebook Fandom Graphs
The NCAA Men's Basketball Map Draws Information from Social Media
Lofty Social Media HQs
Pinterest's New Creative Workspace is in a San Fransisco Warehouse
Cottage-Like Tropical Villas
The Casa Caleta is On a Tropical Beach But Has a Quaint Cottage Feel
Miniscule Infrared Helicopters
Discover the World's Tiniest RC Flyer with the Nano Falcon
Auto SEO Domination Campaigns
Volkswagen's Search Engine Marketing Ad Took Over Google
Golden Pizza Ball Promotions
Pizza Express Celebrates 45 Years of Dough Balls with Gold Versions
Fashion-Promoting Hairstyle Pinboards
The 'UNIQLO HairDo' Pinterest DIYs Match Its Latest Fashions
Spanish Spaceman Hotels
The Barcelona Space Hotel Aims to Bring Space Tourism to Spain
Camera-Inspired Tape Dispensers
These Wooden Tape Dispensers Look Like Old-School Cameras
Search Engine-Mapped Goals
Google Zietgeist Resolutions Unites the World and Encourages Progress
Body-Syncing Music Apps
The BioBeats 'Pulse' App Reads Your Heart Rate to Tailor Custom Tracks
Hi-Tech Door Bolts
The August Smart Lock by Yves Behar Syncs Re-Thinks Home Security
New Media Stat Infographics
This Infographic Charts the Changes in News Media Online
Personified Social Network Art
Jon Lock Imagines Social Media Sites as Human Characters
Effortless Text-Adding Apps
The 'WordSwag' Text Editing App Makes Beautiful Additions to Photos
Social Media Employment Charts
This Infographic Highlights How Essential a LinkedIn Account Is
Inspiring Bucket List Imagery
This Tumblr Blog Collects People's Bucket Lists in Inspiring Images
Prison-Simulating Hotels
The Karosta Prison Hotel Immerses You in the Life of a Prisoner
Short Stay Luxury Accomodations
The High-End Rooms of Dayuse Hotels are Rented by the Hour
Terrifying Online Tracking Infographics
This Chart Reminds Us That All Online Activity is Tracked
Social Media-Based Shops
The Kellogg's Social Media Shop Exchanges Cereal for Instagram Photos
Instaddicted Superhero Feeds
These Fake Uploads Suggest Even Heroes Can be Social Media Addicts
Drop-Proof Smartphone Sheaths
The Hand Strap iPhone Case Affixes Your Hand to Your Phone
Anti-Social Media Book Ads
Norlis' Book Ad Campaign Cleverly Arranges Book Titles
Paranormal Nightmarish Hotels
The MAMA Movie Pop-up Hotel Invites Guest to a Spooky Night
Charitable Pinboard Campaigns
Elizabeth Arden's 'Pin It to Give It' Board Supports Cancer Patients
Social Media Kitchen Supplies
The Thumbs Up Like Ice Tray from Shop Jeen is Facebook Inspired
Extravagant Social Media Takeovers
The Facebook WhatsApp Merger Will Be Extremely Costly
Internet Connection Film Campaigns
CJ Entertainment’s Wi-Fi Ad Draws Attention Back to the P
Food Truck Locating Apps
The Toronto Food Trucks App Locates Nearby Eats
Social Media Scavenger Hunts
Selena Gomez is Promoting Her Adidas NEO Line Interactively Online
Breaking News Social Apps
HereFeed is a Social Media App That Tracks Breaking News
City-Centric Fashion Pinboards
The Pinterest Fashion Week Page Shows Global Highlights
Social Media Fashion Campaigns
The J Crew Pinterest Collaboration Debuted the Fall Catalog
Personified Social Platform Videos
The Social Media Parody Video by Cracked is Accurately Depicted
Offline Social Media Simulations
José Lourenço Brings Instagram Icons into Reality
Temporary Roomate-Finding Apps
The Easynest App Lets You Share to Get Reduced Hotel Rates
Interactive Panoramic Photography
This 320 Gigapixel Shot of London is Explorable Through the Web
TV-Tweeted Dinner Invitations
Coca-Cola's 'Let's Eat Together' Ad Invites Diners Over with the TV
Sustainable Tourism Maps
Alastair Sawday Publishing Creates Travel Guides from Eco-Friendly Paper
Unearthly Hotel Locations
This Star Wars Hotel Acted as Luke Skywalker's Tatooine Hometown
Social Media-Blocking Ads
This Coca-Cola Ad Uses Dog Cones to Get People Away from Their Phone
Personal Data Monetizing Services
Datacoup is Putting a Price Tag on One's Personal Data
Subway-Inspired Media Charts
This Infographic Visualizes Digital Media Through Transportation Maps
Life-Shadowing Social Apps
The Lifetramp App Literally Lets Users Walk in Another Person's Shoes
Social Media-Obsessed Hotels
Sol Wave House in Spain is the First Twitter Hotel
Unorthodox Yoga Hotel Programs
Kimpton Yoga Mat in Every Room Encourages Fitness and Health
Lifestyle-Motivating Wristbands
This Health-Monitoring Wristband Helps You Meet Your Goals
Tweet-Sending Bras
The Nestle SA 'Tweeting Bra' Tweets When It is Unclasped
Miniature Social Media Projectors
This Mini Instagram Projector Lets People View Photos on
Deep-Sea Adventure Apps
The iGills Smart Diving System Will Take You Under the Ocean
Red Treehouse Accommodations
The Treehotel by Sandellsandberg Has a Fairy Tale Feel
Mini Building Block Cams
The Nanoblock Camera by Fuuvi is Charming and Convenient
Digital Wardrobe Apps
The iPhone App FIGR Lets Fashionistas Create Personal Virtual Ensembles
Internet Lingo Infographics
This 'Twictionary' Helps Keep Ever-Evolving Twitter Lingo in Check
Pinboard-Retailer Holiday Collabs
The 'Dear Topshop' Campaign Makes It Easy to Buy from Topshop
Localized Social Media Marketplaces
The Uniiverse App Makes Finding Events Simple and Fun
Scavenger Hunt Publicity Stunts
Patrons Search for Hidden Money in MK Art Gallery
Anime Monster Scavenger Hunts
This Google Maps App Lets You Find and Catch Pokemon
Socially Integrated Caller IDs
The New Thread App Shows Social Media Contacts Through Caller ID
Bear-Patterned Olympic Taxis
The Chengdu 'Panda Cabs' Are a Hit with London Locals
Sporty Social Media Graphs
The Game Change Infographic Tracks the Impact of Twitter on Athletics
Social Media-Connected TVs
Samsung's Line of Smart Hub TVs Brings Social Media to the Living Room
Impaired Tweeter Infographics
This Graphic Shares the Perils of Drinking and Tweeting
Interactive Virtual Scavenger Hunts
Cern Computing Centre Added a Twist to Its Indoor Google Maps
Wandering Adventurer Apps
The Crowsflight App Shows You the Way with a Direction Instead of a Map
Interactive Exploration Apps
The Phigital App is the Perfect Companion for Adventuring
Browser Based Skeeball Games
'Roll It' Uses Only Your Phone and Computer to Simulate Skeeball
Social Investment Learning Communities
Global Philanthropy Forum was Founded by Jane Wales in 2001
Rubber City Maps
Beirut Map Art by Marwan Rechmaoui Emphasizes Class Differences
Frightening Social Hacking Stats
The Chart Informs Audience of the Alarming Viral Criminal Threats
Transformative Travel For Good
Elevate Destinations Plans Customized Meaningful Eco-Luxury Trips
Crowd Avoidance Apps
'Avoid the Shopping Crowds' Helps Dutch Consumers Beat the Rush
Profile-Promoting Pop Dispensers
The Pepsi Like Machine Trades Free Cans for Facebook Likes
Community-Built Solutions
Mama Hope Doesn't Adhere to a 'One Size Fits All' Model
Livestreamed Achromatic Workspaces
This Pop-Up by Agency Wieden + Kennedy Attracts Collaborators
Social Media Sickness Trackers
This Infographic Uses Twitter for Tracking the Flu
Offline Social Networking Apps
UNHOOK Facebook is an Offline Social Network for Facebook Addicts
Timed European Travel Guides
36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe Plans Awesome Weekend Trips
Film-Enabled Social Media Announcements
The 'Video on Instagram' Feature Rivals Twitter's Vine App
Social Media Takeover Charts
‘That's Old News!' Infographic Shows the Demise of
Aerial Social Media Apps
Dronestagram Allows Drone Owners to Post Aerial Photos Online
Cloud-Shaped Mobile Hotels
This Mobile Hotel by Zebra3 Offers a Little Piece of Heaven On a Cloud
Prominent Twitter Link Generators
Latest.is is a Website that Creates Must-Read Top 10 Lists
Lyrical Pop Diva Soundboards
A 'Flawless' Beyoncé Soundboard called 'Soudboardt' Wows the Int
Map-Based Design Guides
Dazeen's World Design Guide Maps Out Design Events in the World
Suggestive American Internet Infographics
This Chart Explores Why American Internet Lags Behind
Chair-Scavenging Campaigns
The Seat Promotion by Heineken Initiates a Race for Wembley Tickets
Hacked Social Media Hoaxes
This Campaign Made the Chipotle Twitter Page Seem Like It Was Hacked
Localized Impact Investing
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Provides Surgeries to Eradicate Blindness
Powerful Weather Simulators
The FIU Wall of Wind Prevents Hurricane Destruction and Damage
Crowdsourced Car-Capturing Videos
This Lexus Ad Campaign Stitched Together People's Instagram Pics
Photo-Annotating Apps
Note Rocket is a Cool Photo App That Allows You to Stay Visually Connected
Antarctic Time Zone Maps
Never Again Wonder the Time in the Southern Tundra of the North
Hilarious Extreme Weather Clips
The Ultimate Hurricane Reporter Fails Compilation is Amusing
Intuitive Urban Routing Apps
Google Maps for iPhone Returns to the Delight of Diligent Users
Celeb Grave Livestream Feeds
An Andy Warhol Birthday Calls for a 24/7 View of His Resting Place
Crowdsourced Medical Photo Apps
'Figure 1' is an Instagram-Like Medical App for Doctors
Web Community Infographicss
This Pinterest Info is Crucial for Upstart Businesses and Brands
Map Adorned Journals
The Paula Scher 'Maps' Mini Notebook Collection Guides Your Way
Puppy Poop Monitors
The Swifto Dog Walking App Documents Where Pooches Do Their Doggie Business
Comprehensive Business Network Maps
Wikisway Provides a Full Visualization of the CrunchBase Data
Online Family Interaction Charts
Explore Reasons to Accept or Deny Facebook Family Friend Requests
Luxe Fashion-Branded Hotels
The New Laura Ashley Manor is Filled with Laura Ashley Products
Social Media Reality Shows
@SummerBreak Will Broadcast Only Through Online Platforms
Sprinkle-Accented Maps
This DIY Project Lets You Accentuate Customized Pictures with Sprinkles
Fraudulent Fiscal Figures
The 'Economic Crime Around the World' Lays it Out in Laymen Terms
Location Icon Avian Abodes
The Project Google Birdhouse Maps Out Flight Destinations
Skiing Socialization Apps
The Snocru app Easily Combines Everything Concerning a Day on the Slopes
Pixellated Paint Chip Art
The 'Emojitones' Paint Chip Art Series Abstracts Emoticons
Share-Friendly Media Browsing
Twitter Improved Its Search Option on Mobile Applications
Lyrical Scavenger Hunts
Fans are Searching Libraries for Lyrics from the New Coldplay Album