SPAIN is Europe’s third-most ‘followed’ country on social media and the fifth in the world for tourism and current affairs, according to latest market research.
Apple Tree Communications says the USA, with 6.97 million followers, has more than any other country on earth, ahead of México with 6.03 million.
At present, the UK leads the field with the most followers in Europe – possibly because of continuing Brexit developments as well as tourists attracted to its vibrant capital – with 4.08 million, a long way ahead of Germany’s 2.95 million.
Spain has 2.46 million followers keeping track of its news and tourism information, Apple Tree Communications says.
Despite its massive global popularity among social media users, none of the most-followed cities in the world are in Spain – Dubai (United Arab Emirates) holds the top slot, with 7.5 million followers, ahead of Hong Kong with 5.7 million and Singapore with 3.4 million.
London (2.4 million) and New York (1.5 million) make up the top five.
The most popular social medium for tracking country information is, by a long way, Facebook, representing 72% of followers, compared with Twitter and Instagram at 14% each.
Spanish hotel chain Riu is the third-most followed, with two million, beaten only slightly by Hilton Hotels & Resorts at 2.3, and ahead of Ibis at 1.8 million and Sofitel at 1.4 million, with Marriott Hotels being the most popular at 3.1 million.
Self-catering rental platforms with the most social media followers are Airbnb (18.8 million), Homeaway (3.8 million), Couchsurfing (one million), Vrbo (600,000) and Flipkey (300,000).
Online travel agencies with the most social media traffic are Booking.com with 14.5 million followers; Trivago with 13.7 million, Hotels.com with 7.9 million, Expedia.com with 7.6 million and Homeaway with 3.8 million.
Cruise companies that attract the highest numbers of followers on social media are Carnival Cruise Line (5.4 million), Royal Caribbean Cruises (5.4 million), MSC Cruceros (4.9 million), Norwegian Cruise Line (three million) and Costa Cruises (2.6 million).
Spanish airlines are not in the top-five most-followed, but all of these operate in Spain – Qatar Airways, with 17.2 million followers, the Dutch carrier KLM with 15.8 million, Emirates with 14.6 million, Turkish Airlines with 13.6 million and Air France with 8.3 million.
