40% of Americans pretend to be travel influencers while on vacation, new survey says

Two out of five Americans pretend to be vacation influencers (39%), according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 social media users found that respondents are more likely to take vlog videos, post more when they’re not on vacation and write more creatively.

The majority of respondents see using social media while traveling as a good thing (58%) and more than half would write about their travels (55%).

A survey conducted by Talker Research in partnership with BeachBound Vacations found that they most enjoy seeing photos and videos of scenic spots (50%), landmarks or tourist attractions (44%) and food and drink (36%). ) on social media.

When thinking about their food, respondents were most likely to post the same content as selfies (32%) and pictures of the beach or pool (30%).

Half of social media users would document every moment of their travels and another 38% would make an effort to organize a vlog or slideshow for others to see, even if they most would prefer a short video that appeals to social media (49%).

What is the best time to write? While 50% would post about their vacation activities elsewhere during their vacation, 30% would hold off on posting until it was over.

That may be the right move to avoid FOMO, as a quarter of those who post on social media while traveling admit they feel guilty about not being there in the moment (24 %).

It’s understandable for respondents, as almost one in four people are disappointed when their holiday doesn’t get as many people as they’d hoped (23%).

But it’s their eyes that count the most in the end, with two-thirds of those surveyed sharing their memories of old travel media posts to inspire them to plan future trips .

“Sharing our travel experiences on social media is more than just taking photos – I use social media as a digital scrapbook to look back on my favorite family trips, right on my phone,” said Dana Studebaker, vice president of consumer product marketing at BeachBound. Holidays. “Although they are good for preserving memories, these posts can evoke positive emotions in others. In this way, social media becomes a powerful tool, not only for self-expression, but for create the future of travel.”

On the way to their destination, half of social media users ranked a fully charged phone as one of the three most important things to fix when traveling, and 32% of respondents put it in first place.

Other things that made the top three were more clothing options (56%) and money at your destination (45%) and home finances (38%).

Full batteries are very important with 77% believing that browsing social media is “necessary” at some point while traveling, especially when taking a break (33%), decompressing after the day (27% ) and between jobs (26%).

Surprisingly, only 25% would rely on social media for entertainment at the airport.

However, the majority of those who enjoy travel content can’t get enough, saying they can’t get over a travel-related post (61%).

More than half of social media users are inspired to plan their trip as a result of seeing travel-related posts in their feed (53%).

And 55% consider reading other people’s posts as “research” for planning a trip when they need inspiration for places to visit (57%), places to stay (49%) and activities they can do it (47%).

General travel tips (32%) and budgeting tips (32%) were also high on the list of respondents who would trust social media.

When asked about some of their favorite vacation planning tips they’ve come across, interviewees chimed in with “pack a travel first aid kit,” “prepare to live without and luxury that we enjoy” and “wear your heavy clothes instead of packing them.”

“Social media offers a unique opportunity to find local information or learn from trusted bloggers and experts to discover must-sees in new places,” said Michael Lowery, head of global consumer business at BeachBound Vacations. “By browsing social media, we can find hidden gems, learn from the experiences of others, and share our discoveries, contributing to a collective guide for future travelers.”

TIPS/GOOD TIPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

• Wear your heavy clothes instead of packing them
• Go outside the box to find things you’d like to do then or later
• Vacuum seals your clothes so they fit more in your luggage
• Using Google Maps to create your own map, use it to identify colors and categorize different objects
• Use credit cards or prepaid cards when you travel
• Hanging clothes instead of folding them saves space in a backpack or suitcase
• Plan as if you live there
• Use sites that compare rates and applications to organize alerts for the sites you want.
• Ask locals about things to see/do and places to eat
• Keep some plastic bags in your luggage for later use
• Hide money in an unusual place like your sock in case you get caught
• Do not leave the airport if your bag is damaged, the airline is forced to cover the cost
• Cross pack suitcases when traveling with a partner so that if one suitcase is lost you still have clothes
• Create a travel first aid kit
• Clear your cookies when searching for a hotel
• Bundling is the way to go, it’s cheap and gives you great value
• Be prepared to live without some of the comforts we enjoy

How to do the research:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who use social media; this survey was conducted by BeachBound Vacations and conducted and conducted online by Talker Research between September 9 and September 16, 2024.