Who to follow on social media as a tour and activity operator
Do you follow these accounts?
Struggling to grow your tour business on social media? Following the right accounts could be the game-changer you need.
Social media is more than a marketing tool — it’s a window into industry trends and customer behavior. Following and engaging with the right accounts helps you discover successful strategies and engage more effectively with your audience.
This guide highlights key social media accounts to follow in the travel and tourism industry, including local partners, industry leaders, and influencers who can help you refine your strategy and grow your brand.
Follow your community
Staying connected to your local community helps strengthen your brand’s presence and build trust with local customers and businesses. A few local accounts to include:
- Tourism bureaus: Follow state and local tourism bureaus to stay updated on events, seasonal trends, and promotional opportunities.
- Local Chambers of Commerce: Chambers often share valuable business resources and promote local events.
- City and county accounts: Official city and county accounts provide insight into local happenings that you might want to attend.
Pro tip: Engage with their posts by commenting and sharing relevant updates to boost visibility in your own backyard.
Engage with your partners
Collaboration with partners helps expand your reach and create new opportunities for cross-promotion.
- Team members: Encourage guides and team members to share behind-the-scenes content and tag your business.
- FareHarbor: As your business partner, FareHarbor regularly highlights partner businesses, offering exposure and valuable inspiration.
- Local businesses: Do you partner with nearby hotels, restaurants, or attractions? Share their content and collaborate on joint promotions.
Pro tip: Try sharing a behind-the-scenes clip from your guides. People love to see the magic behind the curtain, and it’ll make them feel more connected to your business.
Keep up with industry leaders
Follow industry experts and organizations to stay updated on market shifts and emerging trends.
- Arival and Tourpreneur: Top sources for industry insights and business strategies.
- Travel conferences & organizations: For instance, you can follow TBEX, NATJA, SATW, and IFTWA for events and industry news updates.
- Booking.com: Known for standout video content and innovative marketing strategies.
- National Park Service: If your business operates near a national park(s), follow their official NPS accounts for local park updates.
- Intrepid Travel & National Geographic Travel: These leading travel brands offer rich, engaging content.
Pro tip: Going to an industry conference? Post and tag the organization letting their followers know you’re excited to meet them!
Engage with travel influencers
Influencers have built-in audiences that can amplify your reach and credibility.
- Tagged creators: If a content creator tags or mentions your business, follow and engage with them to build rapport.
- Popular travel influencers: Follow influencers who align with your brand values and customer base.
- Micro-influencers: Don’t overlook smaller influencers with highly engaged niche audiences.
Pro tip: Engage with influencers, but don’t just settle for reposting their content — try collaborating on something new, like a live-streamed tour or a Q&A session with an influencer tagging your business.
Benefits of an engaged social media presence
Engaging with your community and industry leaders helps you identify emerging trends and understand customer behavior. This increases brand visibility and strengthens your position in a competitive market.
Consistent interaction with social media accounts keeps your business top-of-mind for potential customers, increasing reach and driving long-term success.
Ready to boost your social media game? Check out some of FareHarbor’s expert tips.
