Twenty Years of Facebook: A Look At The Social Media Platform's Impact on Travel

13.02.2024 - 19:33 / travelpulse.com / North America / Mark Zuckerberg / Mia Taylor

Two decades ago, travel inspiration and information often came from the pages of a Fodor’s guidebook or flipping through a glossy travel magazine.

Those were far simpler days in the travel industry.

Today, social media and Instagram in particular (not to mention the ubiquitous Instagram travel influencers) exert a profound influence over nearly every element of the travel industry and every step of the travel planning process.

From the consumer perspective, social media not only guides and inspires decisions about where to go and what to do, but even influences how to dress while on vacation. It’s hard to ignore or deny the global domination IG has managed to exert over consumer travel.

As for travel businesses and brands, being on Instagram and working with influencers has become an integral part of reaching audiences.

But before Instagram, of course, there was Facebook.

And February 2024 marks the twentieth anniversary of what was arguably the first wave of social media’s influence on the travel industry.

Created by then Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg to offer a free way to keep in touch with college friends, Facebook quickly grew into a behemoth. And while the user base has shifted to a different and perhaps older demographic in recent years, the platform still has a staggering 3 billion monthly users.

The content on Facebook has also evolved significantly since the platform was first brought to life in 2004. Today, it emphasizes ad revenue and data collection, rather than simply helping users connect with friends for free, as was Facebook’s initial value proposition.

Those changes, however, are just a small part of Facebook’s evolution story. Over the course of 20 years, Facebook has also profoundly influenced the travel industry, impacting both consumer behavior and the way industry players reach and communicate with their target audiences.

“It has definitely changed the landscape,” Erin Whitlock Brown, social media manager for Valor Hospitality Partners, tells TravelPulse. “I don’t think anyone from any industry realized that Facebook would have the impact it has had. Twenty years ago many businesses weren’t even sure they wanted to include Facebook in their marketing plans. Now it’s a key market.”

In recognition of Facebook's two-decade anniversary, TravelPulse reached out to travel industry insiders and business owners to discuss the platform’s early days and its evolution into a force to be reckoned with.

Facebook has democratized the information gathering process in travel planning. (Photo Credit: Courtesy AdobeStock)

Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of Facebook early on was the ability for consumers around the country – and later the world – to share information and images about their travel