ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the nature, use and role of online travel and tourism information search and its contribution to e-marketing theories and practices, including its potential to supplant. It then analyzes the Tourism British Columbia's use of social media for its potential as a destination e-marketing vehicle and predictions made as to the future role of user generated content (UGC) in the marketing communication arena. The strategists of Tourism British Columbia supported and encouraged key influencers to talk about the Olympics making use of several social media and relating them to create benefits across the different media. Tourism experiences are well-tailored to be told in a narrative form accompanied by pictures and videos that blogs are an almost natural means of communication in today's technological world. The HelloBC blog shows that social media and blogs in particular, can be used effectively for operational as well as strategic purposes.
