Mashable has a great article on the pros, cons and how-to’s for luxury brands and social media. While the article isn’t hospitality specific, the concepts are just as applicable to luxury hotels and restaurants as Gucci, Mercedes Benz and other consumer goods.

One of the biggest misconceptions by brand managers is that the web is not a luxury market. The truth is that people are spending more money online and it’s a place luxury brands must build a presence. However, most have a nagging fear of ruining their brand reputation.

 

In November 2007, eMarketer published a report titled “Affluent Internet Users: How the Rich Live Online.” In the report they concluded that the number of affluent Internet users will grow from 43.7 million in 2006 to 57.1 million in 2011.

So it’s clear that there are luxury consumers on the web, and that their numbers are growing. Given that, luxury properties and brands need to figure out a way to tap into that market.