A Case Study of Social Media Marketing by Travel Agency: The Salience of Social Media Marketing in the Tourism Industry

Social media marketing plays an increasingly important role in the hotel and tourism industry. This study examines how social networking services, microblogs and social commerce sites are used in the field of tourism in a case study of KAL (Korean Airline) Tour, one of the leading travel agencies based in Korea. This study shows that companies make a substantial amount of profits from their investments in social media marketing activities. KAL Tour uses a variety of social media for effective social marketing activities. By understanding the characteristics of each social medium, the effectiveness of the company’s marketing activities is maximized. As such, this case study provides opportunities to understand consumer behaviors influenced by new information technologies.