The Evolution of Digital Tourism Marketing: From Hashtags to AI-Immersive Journeys in the Metaverse Era

Evangelos Christou (), Antonios Giannopoulos and Ioanna Simeli
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Evangelos Christou: Department of Organisation Management, Marketing and Tourism, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 141, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
Antonios Giannopoulos: Department of Organisation Management, Marketing and Tourism, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 141, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ioanna Simeli: Department of Organisation Management, Marketing and Tourism, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 141, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-41

Abstract: This study examines how social media platforms influence tourism marketing strategies, consumer perceptions, and travel behaviors, addressing their sustainability implications. It aims to evaluate the current state of research on social media in tourism marketing, identify dominant trends, assess empirical evidence of impact, and critically highlight research gaps. The analysis focuses on three core marketing outcomes: destination image, travel intention, and user engagement—and includes a section examining sustainability considerations across environmental, sociocultural, and economic dimensions. The study uses a systematic critical review of 147 peer-reviewed academic articles published between 2015 and 2025, combined with a meta-analysis of 38 quantitative studies that report statistical effect sizes. The meta-analysis uses a random-effects model to compare the influence of different platforms and study contexts. Moderator variables include geographic region, platform type, and methodological design. Findings show that social media marketing has a statistically significant positive effect on destination image (Cohen’s d = 0.61), travel intention (d = 0.54), and user engagement (d = 0.43). The analysis also reveals geographic bias, limited research on emerging platforms, and a lack of longitudinal and ethical inquiry. Findings suggest that tourism researchers and marketers may have to adopt more context-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and ethical approaches. Critical sustainability concerns emerge, including “overtourism”, cultural commodification, digital inequities, and algorithmic biases. Further studies may focus on specific platform-related behaviors, long-term impacts, and integrated online strategies appropriate for global tourism diversity. Lastly, this paper advocates for context-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and ethically grounded approaches to ensure sustainable digital tourism marketing strategies.

Keywords: social media in tourism marketing; tourism consumer behavior; user-generated content (UGC) travel content; influencer marketing; destination image; AI-powered tourism personalization; digital destination branding; platform-specific strategies (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube); social media engagement metrics; smart tourism technologies and platforms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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