Expert bloggers have become increasingly influential in the travel sphere, these independent specialists adding value to the wealth of information already available on the web.
With the advent of social networking many bloggers have seen their audience figures grow, an increasing number of consumers showing a genuine appreciation for their impartial advice. Acacia Africa is one tour operator seeking to deepen relationships within the blogging community, its latest tweet up being held in partnership with AfricaFreak; Editor Michaël Theys, having recently travelled on the company’s 58-day Ultimate African Overlander.
- photo by adesigna
Heath Ashcroft, Marketing Director of Acacia Africa, comments “Web based travel reviews and objective feedback are invaluable for adventurers and we actively encourage clients to share their insights with us. Expert bloggers also provide unbiased opinions, and often the incentive to impart information is based solely on their passion for travel, making them highly trusted sources.”
Not just an event directed at consumers, Acacia Africa believes their forthcoming tweet up, scheduled for Saturday 19 March, will also be helpful to its trade representatives.
Ashcroft continues, “Specialist bloggers have their finger on the pulse when it comes to reviewing destinations, and Theys has lived on the continent for over 20 years. Combine that knowledge with a first-hand appreciation of our overland tours and you have the recipe for a highly informative training session.”
The 30-minute Twitter event will run from 2.45pm-3.15pm (GMT). Agents who are interested in joining the tweet up should add the #UAO58 hashtag to all their tweets and follow @AcaciaAfrica and @AfricaFreak. The tweet up will also be heavily publicised at the TNT Travel Show in London, where Acacia Africa is exhibiting (stand no. F23), the tour operator tapping into a youth oriented, tech savvy market, and taking advantage of the move to mobile social networking.
Blogger Muzi Mohale
I’m Muzi Mohale, based in Roodepoort (South Africa). Blogger with www.travelwires.com. Love Travelwires.com since I get to travel our beautiful country through blogging and get first hand tourism experience.
But isn’t it hard to write honest review about trip which is sponsored by trip organizer?
I have to agree that it could be a bit of a challenge to write a review, but I think that the organizers should appreciate honest opinions and try to work on areas of improvement.