Exclusive from ITB: Patrick Wassel, Head of Digital Strategy, Faktor 3 AG, a firm specializing in online strategy, at ITB Berlin 2013 brought experts together to discuss the effectiveness of social media as a rating and feedback platform, in the travel industry.

His pretext summarizing social media through an informationsearching traveler's eyes: "I do not want to read a lot of text, I only want to make a quick decision."

Dirk Führer, Chief Commercial Officer, Steigenberger Hotels AG, one of Europe's leading premium hotel brands, said that Steigenberger has already begun asking its guests to leave their feedback decades ago, "a long time before the internet age… the online method has only facilitated this process".

Führer underlined how important it was for the Steigenberger Group to build up an online reputation, particularly via its guests' feedback. He believes that an online presence and feedback platforms is much more effective than traditional advertising means.

"We do not ignore social media. It is important to us! We want to know what people are saying about us on Twitter or Facebook, as well as on other sites, so as to understand every aspect of how our brand is being perceived. We want a 360 degree view", he told the panel.

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