Social Media and Influencer Marketing for Promoting Sustainable Tourism Destinations: The Instagram Case

Eleni Kilipiri (), Eugenia Papaioannou and Iordanis Kotzaivazoglou
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Eleni Kilipiri: Department of Organization Management, Marketing and Tourism, International Hellenic University, 57400 Sindos, Greece
Eugenia Papaioannou: Department of Organization Management, Marketing and Tourism, International Hellenic University, 57400 Sindos, Greece
Iordanis Kotzaivazoglou: Department of Business Administration, International Hellenic University, 62124 Serres, Greece

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: Instagram is a critical tool for the selection of tourism destinations. Instagram travel influencers seem to play a significant role in this process, often using geo-location data to make their posts even more impactful. However, there is no evidence of them performing such a role in sustainable destinations, although these destinations are increasing and to a large extent are the future in tourism. This paper aspires to shed light in this area focusing on sustainable destinations. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to examine (a) the role of Instagram travel influencers in shaping users’ opinions of a sustainable destination and (b) the importance of geo-location data used by influencers to the users’ selection of such a destination. Thirty sustainable tourism destinations, as posted between 2017 and 2019, were selected for examination by using 10 Instagram travel macro-influencers’ power derived from their followers’ interactions on posts. The study used a mixed method approach combining cross-sectional and quantitative data analysis. Panel data and a multiple hierarchical analysis using SPSS Statistics were implemented to test the hypotheses. Finally, a regression model was used to try to identify the relationship between geo-location data and the selection of sustainable tourism destinations. The findings show that Instagram travel influencers, as social media communicators, are positively related to the selection of a sustainable destination. However, the use of geo-location data by Instagram travel influencers does not enhance travelers’ intention for such a choice.

Keywords: Instagram; influencers; parasocial interaction; internationalization; sustainable destinations; geo-location data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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