It’s awards season right now. Various travel related awards are being voted on. I’ve received e-mails to vote in the FlyerTalk Awards and e-mails from various hotels to vote for them in the Freddie Awards.
How about awards being given out for most innovative and effective uses of social media in the travel industry?
Travel + Leisure is putting this awards competition together- The SMITTYS.
I think these awards sound like a great idea and I hope that they will encourage more use of social meda in 2012. Social media has come to play an important role in the travel industry. Many airlines and hotel programs use it for customer support, to advertise sales, promos, specials and to spread the word on other important information.
I earned miles and points a bunch of times thanks to the use of Facebook and Twitter.
I will gladly “like” a hotel to earn some easy, free points! I earned free points from at least three Starwood Hotels just for liking them on Facebook!
I’ve also used Twitter to contact airline and hotel programs which resulted in immediate responses. It’s amazing how fast they respond compared to sending an e-mail.
A little about the SMITTYS:
- There are 3 types of awards, open to 14 types of companies
- Deadline to enter is March 2, 2012
- Companies pay a $50 entry fee
- The program had to be live in 2011 to qualify
- Social Media includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, Google+ or any other social media outlet
- Winners will be determined by a panel of social media experts, assembled by Travel + Leisure, will be picking the winners. They will be looking at many factors, including originality, creativity, user response and engagement.
- Winners will be announced in June on TravelandLeisure.com and in the July issuse.
To see the registration page for the SMITTYS click here.
