Telstra has released research on social media sharing this holiday season, with "the relentless rise of FOMO" being "a major factor influencing Australians’ national holiday choices".
Australia’s biggest telco, Telstra, is still giving people free phone calls from its own branded Telstra pay phones until tomorrow (28 December 2016), as iTWire reported last week.
This week comes more news from Telstra regarding holidays and social media in its new survey "exploring the holiday habits of 1250 Australians".
The research showed that "more than a third (37%) of respondents admitted to sharing holiday pictures deliberately designed to make friends and family jealous and almost a quarter (23%) select holiday outfits for their social media appeal".
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Then there’s the "Instagram effect" which has led to "nearly half (42%) of holidaymakers basing their overall destination choice on its social media sharing potential".
Naturally, there’s plenty more stats, facts and figures to share, especially when it comes to showing off Telstra’s products and services in a good light, and how Telstra is using the research to provide better services to its customers.
To illuminate this very thing comes the stat that "56% of Australians cite ample mobile phone coverage as an important factor in making travel choices", with Telstra stating that "the findings have provided insight that has helped shaped Telstra’s network investment plans for the 2016/17 holiday season".
Telstra’s Group managing director of Consumer, Vicki Brady said: “92% of us admit our mobile phone is an essential item to pack for every trip away, so it’s clear social connectivity is integral to the way we travel today; across everything from the initial planning phase, to making a booking and beyond.
“Australia’s landscape, culture and our holiday experiences make for shareable social content that can only bolster our tourism industry.
“Telstra’s own network data shows that Aussies love to head to the coast over the summer period, with network traffic significantly increasing in December and January.
“This is why Telstra is committed to ensuring those all-important social connections away from home flow as seamlessly as possible,“ Brady concluded.
To assure holiday-loving Australians, and visitors to our fantastic country, Telstra states it is "well prepared for an expected four-fold surge in network traffic across key holiday destinations, like the Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Lorne".
Indeed, Telstra says that "to maintain the same service quality, in spite of significantly increased demand, Telstra has implemented measures, including localised service boosting, to help address call congestion and slowing data speeds in more than 100 holiday hotspots nationwide".
Further findings drawn from the data saw "jaw-dropping scenery come out on top as the primary component in creating the envy-inducing images (76%) favoured by the Australian population, with beach-front locations (40%) the main destination of choice".
So, what are some of the other key findings from the survey?
These include:
- Food first: We’re most likely to take a social recommendation while away when choosing a place to eat (73%), compared to a place to stay (45%) or a holiday activity (42%).
- Frugal fun: More than a third (35%) of Aussies are savvy on saving money while they’re away, using their mobile phones to get a location-specific deal or offer at their holiday destination.
- Mobile vigilance: Work is on our mind while we’re on our holidays. One third (33%) use their mobile device to check in with work while away. Meanwhile, two thirds (66%) stay up to date with current affairs and news from home on their device.
- Expert exploring: More than two thirds (70%) of Aussies have used GPS apps to find their way around a holiday destination, ensuring they’re never lost.
Telstra has a blog post with more information on this topic at its Exchange site entitled "Riding the waves of jelly-sea: the ups and down of a connected holiday", which talks more about jealousy, FOMO and holiday sharing.
