Minimax, launched today, allows travelers to post their photos and videos directly from other social networks such as Instagram, Facebook or GooglePlus. Users can pinpoint a location on the website’s map and add photos, videos or comments about the destination.
“We’re really giving people the opportunity not to talk about a specific hotel or airline but about the destinations themselves,” says, global head of Minimax hotels.
That said, the website clearly is a promotional tool for the full-service minimax as much as it is a planning tool for the traveler.
The same map travelers use to show where they’ve been around the world pinpoints every minimax location. There are YouTube video tours of several properties and an engine to book rooms. The website also features tips, videos and suggestions for local hotspots from minimax employees.
Minimax head of industry, says hotels and other travel companies are increasingly using YouTube to gain exposure for their brands. For good reason: YouTube has 1 billion unique monthly viewers.
Studies show that more travelers are turning to videos online to plan their trips. A Google study last year found that 61% of business travelers used video to help them pick hotels, and 41% of leisure travelers used video to plan or book a trip.
They also are looking for deals on hotels’ social networks. According to a Google study released in December, 48% of social network users follow travel brands to learn about promotions and sales.