Social media use for travel purposes: a cross cultural comparison between Portugal and the UK

Social media plays an important role in travelers’ planning and decision-making. Research has highlighted that the use of social media on travel planning may differ among countries, whereas culture may explain those differences. This article explores the use of social media for travel and compares United Kingdom and Portuguese citizens based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Results revealed that travelers from both countries use social media essentially before travelling yet, some differences were found regarding the use after traveling and between social media consumption and creation. Travel marketers can use this knowledge to adapt social media strategies to country specific situations.