In a fiercely competitive industry like tourism, every social media post matters. But not all content delivers the same impact. To understand what works best, we used artificial intelligence to analyze the social media posts of several hotels in southern Gran Canaria—one of Spain’s top tourist destinations.
This study reveals three major content pillars that drive the most engagement: the natural surroundings, hotel services, and the sense of disconnecting. Wellness is also emerging as a rising theme in 2025, while posts about events or promotions are losing relevance. In terms of format, images outperform reels, and the most effective captions are short and emotionally driven. Emojis help reinforce the tone, and a friendly, positive voice is common among the brands analyzed.
Top-Performing Social Media Content Themes: Nature, Services, and Disconnection
The best-performing posts have one thing in common: they appeal to the user’s emotional experience. This AI-driven analysis identified three dominant content territories that lead the way in terms of engagement:
- Natural Surroundings: Views of the Maspalomas dunes, pools nestled in lush greenery, or sunsets by the sea generate the highest levels of interaction. These visuals stir emotions tied to natural beauty and create an immediate connection with the audience.
- Hotel Services: Spas, buffets, luxury rooms, and resort activities capture the attention of users looking for tangible value for their money.
- Comfort and Disconnection: The concept of rest and unplugging from daily life is incredibly powerful. These posts invite users to picture a break from the world.
Ultimately, the content that resonates most with the audience reflects what people value most when going on vacation: inspiring surroundings, services that promise comfort, and experiences that invite them to forget their daily routine. These three content pillars not only shape the communication strategy—they represent the very desires of travelers.
Social Media Trends: What's Changed Since Last Year?
One of the biggest shifts identified in hotel social media posts is the emergence of wellness. AI analysis didn't detect this theme in top-performing 2024 content, but in 2025, it appears as an up-and-coming topic (featured in 9% of top content).
Here's how the other categories evolved:
- Comfort and Disconnection still leads but has lost some relative weight compared to the previous year.
- Nature and Hotel Services remain top performers, with content about the immediate natural surroundings showing the best results.
- Events, promotions, and other topics have declined in engagement rankings.
Less Reels, More Images: What Works Best in Terms of Format
Although carousel posts make up 45% of all content, single images take the lead in performance, averaging nearly 100 interactions per post.
Sometimes, simplicity wins—an eye-catching photo with well-written copy can outperform even the most polished video. The key lies in how well each format aligns with the chosen content theme.
The Art of Copywriting: Keep It Short, Emotional, and Structured
In general, brands in the sector use a positive, friendly, and inspiring tone in their posts. When looking at the top three brands, we notice some distinct nuances:
- Club Maspalomas Suites & Spa: Uses a festive and promotional tone.
- Santa Mónica Suites: Leans into a calming, relaxed voice.
- Hotel Cordial Mogán Playa: Stands out with an enthusiastic tone.
All three brands maintain a consistent voice, frequently use emojis, and rely on personal pronouns like “you” and “we” to create a sense of closeness. This approach is also seen in five other brands included in the study.
Copywriting Techniques and Structures
The most successful content uses classic copywriting frameworks like AIDA, PAS, FAB, and occasionally PPPP or PASTOR, guiding users from attention to action.
- AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
Sparks the desire to live the experience and ends with a call to action ("book now"). For example, in this post:- Attention: “Breathtaking views at Mogán Princess 🙌🏼”
- Interest: “Wake up to stunning panoramas of the pool, sea, and beach...”
- Desire: “Every moment here feels like a dream.”
- Action: “👉🏼 Paradise is just a few clicks away…”
- PAS (Problem, Agitation, Solution).
Identifies a problem (e.g., stress), intensifies it emotionally, then offers the hotel as the solution. For example, in this post “This summer: unwind and feel good in Gran Canaria 💆🏻🌴.”- Problem: The need for rest and wellness.
- Agitation: Daily stress and lack of personal time.
- Solution: A relaxing, adults-only hotel focused on well-being.
- FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
Outlines features, advantages, and key benefits. For example in this post “A perfect room for a perfect holiday 🛏️🏝️”- Features: Spacious rooms, LCD TV, mini-fridge.
- Advantages: Comfort and modern amenities.
- Benefits: Feels like home—perfect for relaxing.
While PPPP and PASTOR appear less frequently, they’re occasionally used for storytelling or promotions.
Most Common Emojis in the Hotel Sector
The analysis identified five main emoji categories used by hotels in early 2025:
- Celebration: 🏆🥂🎉💖 – Often used in posts about awards or special moments.
- Emotion: 🥹❤️✨🌅🌊☀️ – Ideal for conveying powerful landscapes or memorable experiences.
- Travel: 🌴🌇🧳🌿 – Evoke escapes and adventures.
- Well-being: 🧘🏻♀️🌿 – Associated with relaxation and unplugging.
These emoji choices enhance both the emotional and visual tone of each post, reinforcing the intended message.
What About Caption Length?
Most posts are under 75 words—typically between 25 and 50. Longer posts are usually related to commemorative dates, promotions, or longer bilingual texts.
Why This Analysis Matters to Any Social Media Manager
Although this study focuses on hotels, the insights are broadly applicable across industries. Ask yourself:
- Which content territories generate the most interaction?
- What values or messages are being emphasized?
- Which formats (image, video, carousel…) suit the purpose of each post?
- Is the tone aligned with your brand identity?
- Are the captions short, medium, or long?
- Do longer texts tend to cover specific topics?
- How often are emojis used, and why?
- Are copywriting techniques being applied?
Automating content analysis, spotting patterns, and adapting your formats, tone, and copy based on data is completely within reach. Especially if you're short on time, have a small team, or need to dig deeper into your results.
.jpeg)
