Are chatbots the new social media? – Hospitality Net

7B visits in a single month, a growth line that echoes the primordial years of Facebook, and a demographic curve that bends upward as the 45+ crowd becomes nearly 1/3 of the entire ecosystem. ChatGPT alone moves close to 6B monthly visits and now stands shoulder to shoulder with Instagram in the planetary rankings, as if conversation itself had quietly reclaimed the centre of the digital stage.
People are not walking away from social networks, at least not yet, but they are moving the part of their digital life that matters into a more intimate chamber.
The displacement has already happened, almost unnoticed, and this raises an uncomfortable question for the industry: if the social layer drifts away from the public feed and settles inside the intimacy of 1-to-1 dialogue, what remains of influence marketing when influence stops circulating through staged spectacle and begins to germinate in the solitude of private conversation?
What is happening isn’t a move away from public platforms, but a shift toward chat style interactions that feel more direct and tailored. For many people, this experience feels more reliable than scrolling through crowded social feeds. 
Generative AI is speeding up this shift by turning searches into dialogue — simplifying complex questions and responding to specific needs in ways traditional social platforms can’t. For travelers, this makes discovery feel personal again: less scrolling and generic inspiration; more guidance and meaningful responses. 
A traveler planning a short getaway might ask, “Where can I go this weekend that is warm, walkable, and within a two-hour drive?” A chatbot can refine options in real time, match preferences to inventory, and suggest hotels or destinations that fit — all in a single, conversational thread. 
For travel brands, it’s not about replacing social media, but being visible when travelers are making decisions. Social media and chatbots each play a different role — one inspires, the other helps travelers take their next step. For advertisers, this shift means being present wherever travelers seek guidance, whether that’s discovering ideas on social or asking detailed questions in a chat. 
Social inspires. Chat converts. Connecting both matters. 
View all 11 views in this viewpoint
Hospitality Net membership explained

source