Social Media as a Technology Supported Enabler for Tourism Promotion in Bangladesh

Following the development of technology and the expansion of users’ communication range, social media turns out as one of the dynamic tools for daily social interaction. In reality, this creates scopes for users to interact with each other that are rather essential and beneficial to motivate people socially. Since, the capacities of social media expand tourism as an industry also becomes influenced. This influence in principle can lead to tourism promotion as supported by the relevant stakeholders and tourism administration. The aim of this chapter is to figure out the interaction between tourism promotion and the usage of social media. While understanding the interaction, the chapter particularly focuses on tourism stakeholders and tourism administration in Bangladesh. The chapter carried out content analysis and conducted in-depth interviews for data collection. Results show that social media can interact effectively between the stakeholders and tourism administrators that can leave positive influences for tourism promotion. Using social media, both the stakeholders and tourism administrators can facilitate the promotion of tourist destinations by experience sharing of satisfied tourists. This can also enhance the quality of tourists’ tour planning as they can be enlightened with unpaid, honest recommendations and suggestions of other users. The chapter suggests that social media promotion allows for looking at the tourists as partners in designing, developing, marketing and producing better tourist experience.