I recently tried to answer the 'but what can we tweet about?' question for an online retailer by way of a list, entitled 'The 27 varieties of tweet used by online retailers'.
A quick scan across the Twitter feeds managed by retailers proved that there's more to tweeting than simply pushing out deals and special offers. Examples of tweets included communicating website downtime, driving in-store visits, casting calls for TV ads as well as the more obvious coupons and time-limited offers.
So what would the average travel company tweet about? Again, there's huge scope for airlines, hotels and travel operators to use Twitter in a variety of ways, to boost engagement, satisfaction and sales. Let's now look at some examples...
Riding the celebrity wave
@britneyspears Thanks for the shout-out for us @palmslasvegas on Letterman last night!! Muchas gracias!
http://twitter.com/PalmsLasVegas
Promoting events
ROK Vegas Nightclub at the New York-New York will host Roktoberfest-Guitar Hero Video Game Competition October 15... http://bit.ly/j1DbM
http://twitter.com/VegasConcierge
Surveying followers / creating a meme
Where is the most romantic place in Australia? Tweet back or vote here http://bit.ly/v9Lyr
http://twitter.com/SeeAustralia
Shouting about latest destinations / hotels
Just added Il San Pietro di Positano in Italy http://bit.ly/avN2z
http://twitter.com/TabletHotels
Running competitions
Kudos to Rob for winning our 1st Flickr photo challenge! http://bit.ly/pydPN Share your ideas for future challenges: http://bit.ly/c4ZMG :)
Helping customers
@jeremypair Can you follow so we can DM?
Flagging up technology improvements
@ellenrossano We are still testing wifi on four a/c and plan to equip our fleet early next year. We can't wait to twitter from 30 thou feet!
http://twitter.com/SOUTHWESTAIR
Boosting your environmental credentials
@jamesfarrar learn about our Jetting to Green initiatives and view reports at http://www.jetblue.com/green
Encouraging people to visit lovely cities
999 brilliant reasons to visit London: http://bit.ly/16km8q #BAHL
http://twitter.com/britishairways
Promoting destination gorgeousness
RT @Metrotwin: Absolutely gorgeous panoramic photos of London - http://ow.ly/t88Y
http://twitter.com/britishairways
Launching a new hotel
President Alvaro Uribe, Mr. Marriott, Mr. Ricardo Poma, & Mr. Fernando Poma to take stage shortly to Inaugurate the Bogota Marriott.
http://twitter.com/marriottintl
Creating awareness of a new TV advertisement
Have you seen our new TV ad? The hovercraft is back! Check it out here: http://bit.ly/LQlG8
Announcing time-limited offers
For 48 hours only we're sharing $48 fares! Get them before they are gone: http://budurl.com/2g2a
Offering newlyweds something extra
RT @HawaiianMiles Earn Double HawaiianMiles when you stay or celebrate your honeymoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village®. http://bit.ly/4scFrK
http://twitter.com/FlyHawaiian
Retweeting relevant lists
RT @timestravel: The world's 10 best tropical beaches http://cli.gs/BahW3 #lp
http://twitter.com/lonelyplanet
Bigging up the mobile app
@murphymac Expedia does have an iPhone app! http://www.iappphone.com/de
Driving user-generated reviews
“Be careful sitting on sofas - can crack your back since wood frame is the cushion.” Scary trip? Tell us! http://bit.ly/3buMI6
http://twitter.com/tripadvisor
Promoting the beautiful Flickr feed
New Flickr Photo: PA114982: sdaby has added a photo to the pool: http://bit.ly/cx5os
http://twitter.com/purenewzealand
Giving love to the latest brand partnership
SeatGuru seat reviews are now live on TripAdvisor UK's brand spanking new meta flight search! http://bit.ly/2iGSUO
Revealing a delicious new menu
We have a new menu: http://bit.ly/TDLJE What do you think?
http://twitter.com/TheDrakeHotel
[Image by kcdsTM via Flickr, various rights reserved]Chris Lake is Director of Product Development at Econsultancy, an entrepreneur and a long-term internet fiend. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin.
Recommended reports
Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefing
Econsultancy's Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefings, 
sponsored by Adobe, look at some of the most important trends affecting the marketing landscape. The fourth of these reports, published in February 2012, is dedicated to the identification of trends and challenges which are (or should be) at the top of marketers' digital agenda over the coming year.
Alternatively, see our First Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefing or Twitter for Business.
2:41PM on 15th October 2009
Nothing from @easyjetcare on this list?
Director at Future Blogging
11:43AM on 20th October 2009
I looked at fashion designers approach to Twitter only yesterday and produced a post revealing good and poor examples of Twitter use.
Some of these top brands really need to establish exactly what they are trying to achieve in these social arenas otherwise they ultimately fail miserably.
Twitter can be used for all types of services, such as promoting new deals, competitions and improve customer service but not all companies have grasped this concept yet, or at least performed them well.
My blog link below shows some of the top fashion brand fails and successes of present.....
http://futureblogging.co.uk/blog/2009/10/19/twitter-fail-what-a-great-tool-for-marketing-not-for-some/
Traveler at Reciplocation
10:16AM on 30th December 2009
Twitter will be soon be seen in the newer version of Google with caffiene update.
2:12PM on 14th June 2010
I am usually a fan and early adopter of new technologies, especially the social and community applications. But, I simply could not see through the fog about Twitter. Didn't understand how it could benefit me.
9:24AM on 1st January 2011
Mostly people use Twitter for their busines. ink sharing is the most unique component on Twitter. Twitter is a micro blogging site which should be part of an overall marketing strategy that includes a blog with relative content, and a call to action.