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1,161,121: The number of photos currently being shared on Instagram when you search for #mexicotravel.
Social media has undoubtedly changed the travel industry. People no longer rely on guidebooks and Google searches to plan their trips. Instead, you can follow travel influencers and get all the details in a separate place.
As with posting great travel photos, this oversharing of travel content has a negative effect.
This article isn’t going to tell you to stop posting travel pictures. But we look at the impact of social media on travel and how every traveler can use the power of social media for good instead of feeding the beast that is tourism.
If you didn’t save it, did you really travel?
It seems like the only reason some people go to great lengths to post vacation pictures is to get that perfect Instagram shot. This is evident when many people wait in incredibly long queues at various famous monuments to get their shareable photos. In fact, content writer Katie Birtles wrote in an article on wayfairtravel.com that in Pura Lempuyang, Bali, people are tricked into taking photos of sacred temples. There is often a photographer in the temple holding a mirror to create the illusion of reflecting water. “There is no pond there, nor is it the serene temple you see on Instagram,” she said in the post.
People seem so obsessed with being in front of the lens that they are not living in the moment. According to some travel statistics, people spend more time on their phones while traveling. Passport Photo Online recently published a list of travel statistics showing:
- More than half of vacationers (60%) post photos on social media while they’re away. Especially when it comes to millennials, this number rises to 97%.
- Nearly 46% of Americans want followers to envy their travel experience.
- Approximately 40% of millennials choose vacation destinations based on how Instagrammable the pictures are.
While these numbers are surprising, spending more time on Instagram than enjoying the beach isn’t the only negative impact social media has had on the traveler experience.
Did Instagram decide your destination or did you decide it?
When used consciously and intentionally, Instagram helps you discover and travel unique destinations. It can also give you useful information about what to expect when visiting certain areas. However, unintended scrolling and clicking have caused some destinations to receive more people than expected.
France is a country that has noticed the problem of tourism. In an article on France’s 24.com, local experts point out the negative impact of over-tourism on Normandy’s Etretat cliffs. “After every big weekend, after all the tourists have left, the city is very dirty. When you visit the cliffs, you see papers, masks, cigarette butts everywhere,” says Shai-Hannah Mallett-Bitton.
More tourism is a disincentive for travelers and tourists, Mahler-Bitton said in the article. “We need tourism, but it has to be balanced. The tourists themselves will benefit more. Many of them get angry after spending hours in a car without access to parking, places to eat or toilets due to inadequate infrastructure. This mass tourism satisfies no one.
Is cell phone free travel the solution?
Now that you’ve seen how much social media has impacted tourism and travel, it’s time to do something about it. The solution isn’t to stop geo-targeting or go back to Polaroid cameras. It starts with being a more active traveler.
Undertourism It is often used as a marketing tool. National Geographic He describes it as a way to attract travelers to more popular spots because they can still get Instagram-worthy shots without the crowds. Tourism can look like traveling to places in the low season and generally seeking a travel experience where you are welcome in a destination (like Barcelona, Spain, where they actively encourage visitors).
slow travel Slow travel allows you to stay in one place longer. Instead of trying to hit as many cities as you can in two weeks, choose one or two destinations where you can stay longer. Slow travel offers more opportunities to understand and explore a new culture, discover hidden gems that might otherwise be overlooked, and travel further within the country.
Journey in thought: When your Instagram feed is filled with 9,000 photos of Bali, Peru, and the Maldives, of course, some part of you wants to go there. But before you book your flight, ask yourself why you want to go there. Have a purpose for your trip, such as a trip to heal, reconnect, or step outside of your comfort zone.
Bring stories with your photos. If you’re someone who posts travel content to make others jealous, no one will blame you. Everyone is guilty of posting an enviable photo. But what will make your friends, colleagues and family members even more jealous is having some animal, funny or inspiring story to go along with the photos. Attaching memorabilia to your photos will help the memories last longer. The stories are what make travel meaningful.
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