This comprehensive Handbook offers an overview of current research on the use of social media within the tourism industry, investigating a range of social media practices and proposing strategies to address key challenges faced by tourist destinations and operators. International contributors analyse both conceptual and practical social media topics, addressing cutting-edge social media issues in destination management and marketing. Drawing on empirical case studies and examples, chapters explore dark tourism, gastro-tourism, travel blogs, electronic word-of-mouth, sentiment analysis and a variety of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The Handbook also defines central social media concepts and explores the impact they have on the success of tourist destinations, setting the stage for a better understanding of the relationship between social media and tourism. Through an examination of current trends in social media, as well as future trajectories, it provides critical insights for the successful development and implementation of social media marketing strategies. This Handbook will be a critical read for scholars and students of geography and business management, with a specific interest in tourism and hospitality management. Its practical considerations will also be beneficial for planners, policy makers, managers and marketers in the tourism industry.
