Travel is, by nature, one of the industries that had the most to gain when Instagram first launched. Aspirational photos of destinations, clever hotel design, and sexy stewardesses would allow travel companies to build brand awareness and stay in touch with customers even when they aren’t planning a trip.
Three years and a $1 billion acquisition later and we are surprised to say that many major travel companies are either not on the platform or not doing a great job.
Some hotel groups like Marriott have thousands of followers liking their glossy images while others like Best Western and Hilton have yet to post a single picture. Most airlines have an account, but it’s mostly a static stream of carriers and runways; likewise with tourism boards’ posts of undefined pretty places.
The online travel companies are particularly pathetic: TripAdvisor has only two photos, Priceline has one, and Expedia‘s account is private.
We put our thumbs to work and sought out Instagram accounts from mainstream travel companies that pleasantly surprised or perplexed us. They were chosen for posting images that caught our eye, stood out from their peers, or were just extra clever.
Click here to see how the TSA, Dublin Airport, Delta Air Lines and others get creative on Instagram.
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