The Role and Importance of Publicity Tools in Tourism Policy and Planning: The Case of Social Media

Abstract

Together with globalization, it is seen that changes in consumer preferences are reflected in tourism sector and internet becomes a more preferred platform. In the tourism sector, however, tourists are making serious research on social media before making a decision to purchase. In this respect, sharing the experiences of others through social media does not escape the attention of potential consumers. From this point of view, social media as a means of promotion are discussed in the conceptual framework. In this study, it is emphasized that caution should be exercised when using internet as a promotional tool especially with the easier and cheaper access of consumers to internet. Thus, it is recommended that tourism enterprises meet the expectations of potential consumers by taking the shares of the consumers into consideration and include promotional activities that attract the attention of touristic consumers. In addition, it is important to create realistic, applicable policies and to prepare plans for publicity by paying
attention to ethical factors in social media usage.