Web 2.0, social networking and tourism

A whole new level of opportunity to promote a region exists when a tourism department embraces social networking.

Here's how:

1. Here is a blog focused on widgets and 2.0 travel sites, there is an ever growing amount of online tools to use for travel, the consumer and corporations in the travel industry are aware of these, I'm wondering about your local government tourism department or agency.
2. Web2.0 traveling enthusiast - this is a person who travels to various conventions and conferences on the subject. Tourism departments have to love these and tap into them if they can. Imagine if you're the head of the tourism department for my family's favorite holiday destination. A place where we like to...vacaciones en busca de sol y relajación. Imagine if PV tourism got together to attract a major conference on the subject to truly be successful they'd have to become experts in Web 2.0 technology and social networking techniques to reach the audience.
3. Power for smaller locales exists because IF they can better understand what tools travelers are using to book trips and investigate getaways they'll be in a position to, well, position themselves better. For example, pay attention to these sites for geotagging - wikimapia - geotagging the world. Here's my flickr profile - admitedly I've been ignoring it because facebook is now the place I share pictures - largest picture sharing site on the internet by their stats.

There's much more on this subject but it's Sunday and I'm headed to the Shriners Circus with my family, that said, one final note. If you were part of this agency...wouldn't you want to ensure your 2.0 strategy was in full force?


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