Abstract:

As a result of the developments in information and communication technologies, social media affects all sectors as well as the tourism sector. The social media’s such influence in all areas of life changes both the forms of business attachment of the accommodation companies and the holiday process of customers. Thanks to the social media, customers can get to the information they want immediately before they leave, make the purchase through the social media and share their experience with others after the holiday. The social media, which is widely used in every stage of the holiday process, also forces the accommodation to change and causes them to turn to the understanding of management of social customer relationships. This study applied a semi-structured conversation form to the managers of five-star accommodation companies in the Konak district of İzmir and the managers’ views on the management of social customer relations were addressed. The data obtained shows that the accommodation companies are also adapting to this change and actively participating in social media.

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