The power of communication via word of mouth and online communities change the dynamic in the tourism ecosystem.
If you focus on the traveler journey, his experience starts before even going into any destination; when the idea of traveling pop into his head. The potential customer looks for informations, dreaming of what he could do, where he could go, using internet, seeking for advices. Without realising it, it then creates expectations.
Internet and social medias being easily accessible anytime everywhere via different devices, it is the to go viral and quickly spread a reputation.
Online communication powered by websites and social media are tools to influence and increase people awareness. However, nothing is more powerful than "word of mouth". Based on real Human experiences, storytelling "word of mouth" creates a kind of trust which can become a key to sustainably develop a destination or a brand.
In this context, one challenge, for any destination or brand, is to reduce the gap between what it is communicated, shared, what people expect and what people actually experience. Another is to create enough value and trust with people to generate interest, desire so they take action to come or even stay longer in the destination or the community.
The power of internet doesn’t stop there, observing an exponential increase of the collaborative economy through online communities; reviews became a strong and trusted source of information. So, the effects of those communities is not to neglect.
Humans are emotional and social animals in need for belonging. Nowadays, communities even evolved into real businesses and are trusted networks with people gathering around the same values and interests. The most successful are often created from the ground by users for users and developed on the knowledges and feedback given by community members.
Having the local population and the visitors advocate, ambassador, influencer of the destination seems the graal. It is an organic approval and the success of the destination or brand .
A community could be defined by the fact it ‘allows us to benefit from others, while they also benefit from us’. A large number of us gather through free online communities sharing the same interest, values and purpose. A search for accurate content, honest discussions between real human beings towards developing meaningful relationship.
Online platforms such as Facebook groups, Discord, forum, make it easier to find the right community for each of us. Now being online, they also appear to be the to go to worldwide networking! That’s easier said than done…Just on Facebook you can find over 10 millions groups in August 2022 with over 70 millions admins and moderators running active Facebook groups. (Influencer Marketing Hub, Dec 2022)
With that said, community managers notice a number of active engaging members quite low with 1% of them who create new content consistently when 90% of people ‘lurk’ on virtual communities, consuming yet never contributing. (Mousav & Roper, Feb 2023, Taylor & Francis Online)
Why is it important to contribute to the benefits of a community health ?
We all know time is precious, that’s why it seems a need to feel content when joining a community. Being part of an engaging one gives inspiration, the feeling to be understood and foster a sense of belonging. That’s why it is important to support it with what each person can, as its life and growth relies on the participation its the members. If you recall the tale of the hummingbird, if each member contributes a little, with the resource his/she has, it can only be beneficial to all.
There are many ways to contribute either by sharing ideas / content, answering questions, becoming an ambassador, sharing the link to your network, create events, etc. Trust is not easy to build and keep, but when it’s real, comes from passion, and strong common values, magic happens! We need to remember that behind on an online community or forum, there are real people on the other end of the line! You can even meet people in real life, making new friends or develop new collaboration if you wish!
Visorando a French example of a strong, engaged community.
In the Outdoors, diverse communities developed on a collaborative/participative model. That’s how Visorando became the go-to collaborative platform and community for finding, preparing and sharing routes in French. Facing such fame, since 2017 the tools have been extended and adapted to the English-speaking countries too! You can now join Visorando-English here.
Fabien Biver (Mi-mountain leader) and his cousin Arnaud Lecus (IT) created the French forum and website in 2010 on a collaborative model: everyone (individual, tourism professional) can suggest their own hiking trails and contribute. But not just anyhow!
Quality and safety are important, so each track is precisely described and accompanied by a topographic map. A must to be guided in the field, step by step. Visorando undertakes to have each circuit verified by 3 different moderators before their publication.
Volunteers and enthusiasts, they re-read all the routes and correct the route if necessary. They will also ensure that they provide consistent content, following precise editorial rules regarding the presentation of the files. Today you can find more than 36,000 routes with humanly verified descriptions including more than 3 850 in English.
The Visorando mobile application then allows following the hike, being positioned with GPS location. Even off the grid! You are then invited to offer your opinion and share pictures on the routes followed.
If you have any questions, it is possible to directly interact with the community members via the forum or the Visorando-English Facebook group. If you wish to feel the human vibe, you can even meet them on co-organised events all over the UK, France and Germany!
This 360° collaborative approach has allowed Visorando to build and offer an unequaled level of quality on the free web: by collecting information “live from the field”, the platform offers constantly updated content.
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