The Sol Wave House in Majorca, Spain is the first to cater to the social media experience, resulting in a themed Twitter hotel. The experience includes Twitter-inspired rooms and drinks, not to mention the #SocialWave virtual community where guests can interact with each other.
Guests interact further with the popular social media platform through an exclusive app available only through the accommodation's WiFi channel. This allows them to direct message, share pictures, view who is online and where they are inside the hotel, as well as send virtual kisses. Sol Wave House's social media director Marco Fantón views the Twitter hotel community as an "interactive extension of what guests are already doing on their vacations--showing off their trip using social networks."
Social Media-Obsessed Hotels
Sol Wave House in Spain is the First Twitter Hotel
Trend Themes
1. Social Media-themed Hotels - The trend of hotels incorporating social media experiences and features, such as themed rooms and exclusive apps, creates disruptive innovation opportunities in the hospitality industry.
2. Virtual Community Platforms - The emergence of virtual communities, like Sol Wave House's #SocialWave, where guests can interact and share experiences, presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the social media and tourism industries.
3. Integration of Social Media and Accommodations - The integration of social media platforms, like Twitter, with hotel services, such as messaging and location tracking, offers disruptive innovation opportunities for both the technology and hospitality sectors.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - The use of social media experiences and features in hotels presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the hospitality industry to enhance guest engagement and create unique offerings.
2. Social Media - The emergence of virtual communities and integration of social media platforms with accommodations creates disruptive innovation opportunities for the social media industry to expand its user base and monetization strategies.
3. Tourism - The incorporation of virtual community platforms in hotels offers disruptive innovation opportunities for the tourism industry to enhance guest experiences and attract tech-savvy travelers.