Twitter was barred from UAE Internet users until August 2008, resulting in regional companies being behind the learning curve according to Dubai PR consultant Alexander McNabb who is quoted in the article. And it turns out other social networks are still are, including Flickr. ( Why? Because of potentially indecent content?)
With Twitter having been unblocked, InterContinental's local operation runs two Twitter accounts (one for the Intercontinental Hotel which has an impressive 2.5k followers, the other for the Crowne Plaza) as well as seven Facebook groups.
Intercontinental sees its Twitter pages as a way into its Facebook ones, which is sensible. The 140 character tweets are ways to lead people into something else - they initiate conversations that you take elsewhere.
At the same time both Twitter accounts are also used to resolve what Intercontinental marketing executive, Rob Singleton calls "difficult experiences" with the hotel.
Having said that, the promotion Intercontinental is currently running is nothing if not unusual. The chief concierge tweets his location and the first person who finds him wins a prize. So far so good...but check out the suit they are making him wear as part of the promotion. Hope they are paying him extra!
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