‘The power of social media’- if we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times, and that’s because it’s one thing everyone can agree on. From the leaders at the World Economic Forum to the app users themselves, they all see the significance of social media on product marketing, particularly for tourism. 

But does going viral actually result in sales or bookings? And is going viral for something like a Dubai chocolate recipe or experiencing a free Turkish Airlines stopover deliver better long-term benefits to a brand than real person value? 

It’s a question we put to leaders at three of the world’s biggest hospitality brands. They are: Antonia Robinson, Senior Director of Public Relations and Social Media for Preferred Hotels and Resorts; Paul Bridger, Chief Operating Officer of Rove Hotels; and Kerry Healy, Chief Commercial Officer of Accor PME, MEA, APAC.

All three experts equally agreed that going viral and providing customer value go hand-in-hand for success. 

“While going viral can spark short-term visibility, our focus is on sustained engagement and long-term brand loyalty. At Preferred Hotels & Resorts, we see social media not just as a marketing tool, but as a valuable way to tell our brand story, spotlight our distinctive properties, and create emotional connections. Our priority is to inspire discovery, deliver exceptional experiences, and cultivate loyalty over time. Meaningful engagement is what truly drives bookings and builds lasting trust.” – Antonia Robinson, Preferred Hotels & Resorts

“You can’t fully predict the ‘virality’ of an offering as a way to drive business. In any case, we have always relied on three main pillars – location, providing great service (word of mouth is the best marketing) and providing great value to customers. It’s been a winning formula for Rove.” – Paul Bridger, Rove Hotels

“Virality can be powerful — it grabs attention, creates buzz, and can certainly shine a spotlight on a property or destination. But let’s be clear: going viral is not a strategy, it’s a moment. What truly drives long-term, sustainable business for our hotels is creating consistent, meaningful value for our guests. At Accor, our focus is on delivering exceptional service, thoughtful amenities, and increasingly — deeply personalised experiences that begin long before a booking and last long after checkout. That’s what builds loyalty, earns trust, and keeps guests coming back.” – Kerry Healy, Accor

Read on for more of our Viral vs Value chat with the three hospitality leaders.

1. How do you use social media to create value for your guests, rather than just trying to go viral?

Robinson: Our social media strategy is rooted in storytelling, inspiration, and guest empowerment. We use our platforms to spotlight the unique character and cultural richness of our independent member hotels across the globe. By sharing aspirational yet attainable content, we aim to inspire travel while offering practical insights that help guests plan unforgettable stays.

Additionally, we provide regular updates on our I Prefer loyalty program—keeping our community informed about exclusive offers, member benefits, and curated travel experiences. We want our guests to feel seen, appreciated, and in-the-know—before, during, and after their journeys. Rather than chasing fleeting viral trends, we focus on nurturing a digital environment that reflects the warmth, hospitality, and distinctiveness of our brand. 

Bridger: For us, social media is very much about driving engagement and communicating the Rove’s messaging in a positive and fun way. However, we also do some initiatives to create additional value to Rovers: 

• City Guides – We partner with content creators to create content about the destination which is useful for Rovers. We include a variety of locations which a mix of touristic spots and off-the-beaten path recommendations.
• Community Initiatives – At Rove, we like to positively contribute to the destination we are part of. You can add info here about the community festive dinner, pass it on, etc.

Healy: We’re not just pushing out content, we’re curating hyper-personalised experiences. Whether it’s geo-targeted offers, or showcasing once-in-a-lifetime Local Limitless moments like watching PSG from a Legendary Room, our digital storytelling is rooted in emotion, not algorithms.

This goes beyond aesthetics or trends. Our social channels are an extension of our brands’ unique DNAs, each one with its own voice, energy, and emotional promise. We don’t treat our guests as one-size-fits-all, because they’re not. They’re families arriving for their first overseas holiday. They’re wellness seekers in Thailand. They’re business travellers looking for inspiration in a Pullman. Our job is to know that,  and show up accordingly.

2. Can you share an example of a time when a viral social media campaign drove significant business to your hotels, and how you measured its success? 

Robinson: One of our most impactful recent social media campaigns centered around a thoughtfully curated influencer FAM trip in India, crafted to showcase our prestigious Legend Collection as part of a broader strategic focus on elevating the story of the growing Collection. We invited four influential content creators to experience the captivating Leela Palace Trail, staying at three of our most iconic Leela Palace properties. Through evocative storytelling, stunning visuals, and clear, on-brand messaging, their content struck a powerful chord with audiences. 

Two posts went viral, amassing over 4 million views on Instagram alone, alongside millions of impressions and a significant uptick in follower engagement. To sustain the momentum, we amplified the campaign through additional influencer collaborations—both individual and group FAM trips—complemented by a steady stream of evergreen content. These continued efforts have kept the spotlight on the Legend Collection’s distinct narratives and luxury experiences, reinforcing its position as a cornerstone of our wider brand marketing strategy.

Healy: We’ve had some fantastic moments where social media has truly amplified our brand and driven meaningful business results, but one that stands out is our TikTok campaign focused on ALL our loyalty program. We partnered with 16 creators across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific to bring the ALL member experience to life in a way that felt fun, relatable, and, most importantly, authentic. 

The results were incredible. We generated over 250 million impressions and 350,000 clicks, but what really excited us was the spike in membership registrations and the sheer volume of genuine engagement we saw across markets. It wasn’t just about going viral—it was about connecting with a new generation of travelers through content that felt real to them.

We always say: virality is a bonus, not a strategy. So, the key after the initial buzz was sustaining the momentum. We did that by repurposing the high-performing videos across our owned channels and encouraging our community to join the conversation—sharing their own travel moments and tagging us. It created this flywheel of user-generated content that kept interest alive and fed right back into our broader loyalty and content ecosystem.

3. What do you believe are the most important factors when creating value for guests, and how do you ensure that these factors are consistently delivered?

Bridger: Having the right price and value perception. It doesn’t necessarily mean being cheap, but creating an offering that the customer perceives as having lots of value. A clear example of this are our monthly stays – Currently starting from AED 4,599, they compete directly with apartment rentals, however, there is housekeeping, all utility bills are covered, there is no long term commitment, etc… Hence, it’s a very popular offer. 

Healy: Creating value for our guests begins with a deep understanding of who they are and what matters most to them. For me, the most important factors are relevance, consistency, and emotional connection — and we’re laser-focused on delivering those at scale.

4. How do you stay ahead of the competition in terms of providing good value and memorable experiences for your guests?

Healy:  Staying ahead of the competition isn’t about chasing the next trend it’s about relentlessly deepening our understanding of our guests and raising the bar on personalisation. We’re not in the business of one-size-fits-all hospitality. We’re in the business of making every single guest feel seen, valued, and understood. When you blend smart data, intelligent tools, and empowered teams, you create moments that guests remember — and return for.

Bridger: We like to think of our offering as different to the competition. We do many things that don’t adhere to the industry norm here in the region and as such, it’s a very strong differentiator. For example, our Podcast Studio is a farily unique facility in a hotel, and thanks to affordable rates it makes it quite accessible for creators to create professional-grade content. When it comes to running promotions, we always look at providing great value to Rovers – For example, our recent Ramadan promotion extended their stays to 36 hours, for the same price as a regular night. This allowed us to maintain rates without further discounting rates, but providing Rovers with additional value. Overall, the promotion was quite successful, driving a significant 40% increase in room nights YOY for the same period, which means that people definitely saw the value.

5. What’s the next big thing at your brand? 

Robinson: We’re incredibly excited about our upcoming global digital campaign—Preferred Pineapple Week, taking place from June 27 to July 3. Now in its seventh year, this celebration pays homage to the pineapple, the universal symbol of hospitality and the heart of our brand identity. This year’s theme, Destination Innovation, will spotlight creativity and imagination across our global hotel portfolio, powered by AI-driven storytelling and cutting-edge content. From playful activations to immersive digital experiences, we’ll be showcasing not just the places we represent—but the passion, people, and possibilities behind them. Preferred Pineapple Week is more than a campaign – it’s a celebration of our values, our vibrant community of travelers, and the exceptional properties that make up our global collection.

Healy: The next big thing at Accor is something I’m genuinely excited about — the seamless, end-to-end personalization of our guest experiences. We’re reimagining what it means to truly know our guests, not just during their stay, but from the very first brand touchpoint through to the moment they return home — and even beyond.

This isn’t just about technology or data, it’s about delivering hyper-personalization with a human touch. Whether someone is discovering our brands online, booking a weekend escape, enjoying their stay, or reliving their memories afterwards — we want every step to feel effortlessly tailored, intuitive and meaningful. It’s about elevating hospitality to something more personal, more relevant, and ultimately more memorable.