Dear Mr. Trost, what memories do you have when you think back to your time at the Bad Gleichenberg tourism schools?
The internships and the opportunity to gain experience abroad at a young age have had a lasting impact on me. This has resulted in many unforgettable stories that have enriched me personally and professionally. The last internship (HLT4/5) in Spain was a particular highlight: It not only gave me valuable professional insights, but also saved me countless hours of work for the oral Matura. 😉
A special milestone was my first bartender award with Mr. Sorger – the Junior Bartender of the Year Award at the Vienna Marriott Hotel. This year I discovered my passion for bartending and was able to prove it. Winning second place was a decisive moment in my professional development. It was not only a confirmation of my dedication, but also a strong motivational boost that constantly reminded me why I chose this path.
You recently founded your own company. How did this idea come about?
The idea of founding my company J.T. The idea to found Hospitality Creative Studio came to me in Italy. After completing my bachelor’s degree at the École Hôtelière de Lausanne and a semester abroad in Hong Kong at Marriott International, I had the opportunity to work for a boutique hotel in Umbria, first as a project manager and later as F&B manager. Due to the very idyllic location, a strong online presence was crucial. However, it was difficult to find someone who met my high quality standards. This gave me the opportunity to take everything into my own hands and prove my skills.
Since it was costly and complicated to organize the required services – such as web design, photography, videography and social media management – separately, I decided to take on these tasks myself. My company was born out of this decision. With J.T. Hospitality Creative Studio, I bring together all brand-focused services that are particularly crucial when setting up hotel and catering projects under one roof.
The studio offers a holistic solution and takes care of brand and web design, photography and videography as well as the ongoing maintenance of social media channels. Everything is managed centrally by one company, eliminating time-consuming searches and the coordination of multiple service providers.
Many people dream of starting and running their own company, and ideally with success. What tips can you give?
One of the most important aspects of starting a business is: love what you do. Because you will have to invest a lot of time and energy in your company to be successful in the long term. Passion is a strong motivator, but as soon as you are financially dependent on your project, it becomes a job.
The first steps should be well planned. It is essential to build up a small financial buffer so that you don’t end up in the red after the first few months. Keep costs as low as possible without the quality that is visible to the outside world suffering. It helps enormously to take on as many tasks as possible yourself – at least in the beginning. A strong concept and clear structures are also crucial.
Focus on your core competencies and understand exactly what your target group needs.
For example, it was clear to me that I would work with J.T. Hospitality Creative Studio wanted to fill a gap: bundling branding, web design, content production and social media management in a single, comprehensive solution.
Perseverance is one of the key factors. The road to successful self-employment is often hard and rocky, and the initial euphoria can fade over time. But always remind yourself why you chose this path. There may be setbacks, but at some point the famous knot will come undone – and everything you have invested will start to pay off.
Social media shapes our lives intensively. What do you think: is social media a curse or a blessing?
For me, social media in tourism is clearly a BLESSING. It has never been so easy to distribute a brand, product or service with authenticity and controlled quality to a large, specific target group at low cost. Social media offers hotels and destinations the opportunity to get in touch with interested parties in a targeted manner. Targeting plays a crucial role in this: no other medium allows you to reach and respond to potential customers so precisely.
For hotels, social media is an incredibly powerful tool for creating a first touchpoint in the customer journey. This first contact arouses emotions, generates anticipation and prepares potential guests for what to expect. At the same time, a strong social media presence makes it possible to create recognition and build long-term bonds – even loyal repeat guests.
Of course, there are challenges, such as the pressure to constantly produce relevant and authentic content or the risk of overloading destinations with uncontrolled reach. But when social media is used strategically, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. It’s about telling stories that underline the uniqueness of a brand or destination and creating lasting added value – both for guests and providers.
Social media makes it possible to take tourism to a whole new level by not only generating reach, but also creating an emotional connection that positively influences the entire booking and travel process. For me, it is an
indispensable tool that has revolutionized the tourism industry and will continue to do so.
In your opinion, what success factors are crucial when it comes to social media in the tourism industry, and how can you use them effectively to build a sustainable brand presence?
The key to sustainable success with social media in tourism lies in continuity and quality, combined with authenticity. There is no point in posting high-quality content in the first few weeks and then slacking off. Social media is a long-term commitment that is about continuously entertaining, inspiring and delighting followers with stories.
The most important aspect is to reflect the business as authentically as possible. Am I a luxurious 5-star hotel on the Arlberg or a small, stylish boutique hotel on Lake Wörthersee? The type of content, the approach and the channels must be precisely tailored to the target group. What do my customers want to see? What leaves them cold? And above all: where are my potential guests online? Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn have completely different target groups and requirements. These questions should be clarified in the planning and concept phase in order to use resources efficiently and build a strong presence.
A good example is a well-known Austrian boutique hotel in a remote region that has used social media to increase reach and bookings. The strategy began with the development of clear storytelling: The hotel regularly showed insights into everyday life – from the preparation of local dishes to breathtaking shots of the surrounding landscape to the personal stories of the team.
One particularly successful post was a short video that showed the chef
picking herbs for dinner. It conveyed authenticity, highlighted the attention to detail and fit perfectly with the guests’ goal of having a real, regional experience. The post went viral and led not only to a strong increase in bookings but also to international press mentions.
The example shows how important it is to present the business authentically and to respond to the needs of the target group with a clear concept. Social media is a tool that, when used correctly, not only generates reach, but also creates an emotional bond with guests that lasts long after their stay.
What challenges do you see in tourism marketing?
One of the biggest challenges in tourism marketing is to remain authentic – especially in a world that is increasingly characterized by perfectly staged content. Many hotels adorn themselves with too many laurels and create expectations that they cannot fulfill in practice. Immaculate hotel rooms with wrinkle-free bedspreads and artfully arranged flowers may look impressive on Instagram, but can create an unrealistic impression in the guest that leads to disappointment. As already mentioned, the key is authenticity.
» Perfection is not the goal, but real experiences that reflect the character of the establishment. «
One of the challenges is to preserve the authentic in times of artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated image processing techniques. Guests are looking for emotional connections and tangible experiences, not an over-staged ideal.
One approach that addresses this challenge is user-generated content (UGC).
Content appears credible and has a natural appeal. UGC remains one of the most popular and emerging types of content because it is not only authentic, but also generates likes and views. The challenge, however, is to find a good balance between UGC and high-quality, professionally produced
content. The content mix must be tailored to the specific company so as not to appear too artificial or disorganized.
Another obstacle is storytelling: people want to be part of a story. For example, through social media posts, you can invite guests to imagine what it would be like to sit on the terrace of a hotel in Tyrol, the first glass of wine in hand, and enjoy the sunset over the mountains. Such images stimulate the imagination and create an emotional connection. In addition to these challenges, guests’ expectations are higher than ever in a digitalized world. Fast responses to requests, engaging content in real time and the ability to quickly pick up on trends are now a must. Social media platforms are constantly evolving and it takes a lot of work to attract and retain the attention of the target group. Ultimately, tourism marketing is about finding the balance between innovation and authenticity. This is the only way to not only delight guests but also retain them in the long term.
Outlook on the future:
I am convinced that tourism in Austria will change significantly in the coming years. The gap between luxury and budget tourism will continue to widen, and companies will increasingly have to position themselves clearly as to which league they want to play in. The middle class of tourism will probably come under great pressure – due to unchanged working conditions, salaries and tax policy. Budget hotels and automated companies with low fixed and personnel costs will experience a boom. At the same time, luxury tourism will continue to develop, with guests being prepared to dig deeper into their pockets for unique experiences. ‘Less, but higher quality’ will be the motto of many travelers. Quality and exclusivity will be more important than quantity.
Marketing is also facing a radical change. Social media managers and content creators will become indispensable in many companies and will increasingly work together with traditional roles such as PR or sales representatives. Automation tools and technical aids will simplify creative processes and thus make them more cost-efficient. Despite these developments, one thing will remain the same: quality always has its price and will continue to be the decisive factor for success in tourism.
Thank you for the interview!
