Virtual influencers' endorsement towards tourist response and intention: an examination using multi method approach

S. Thilagavathy and K. Abdus Samad

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2026, vol. 22, issue 4, 463-485

Abstract: This present study examines the virtual influencers' (VI) impact on response of the tourists (TR) and their behavioural intention to travel (BI) using multi method approach. Data were collected from 407 tourists via an online survey platform. The study employed a multi method approach with partial least square structural modelling (PLS-SEM) as a symmetric model and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) as an asymmetric model to assess the influence of VI on TR and BI. The findings of the PLS-SEM indicate that social attractiveness (SA) and physical attractiveness (PA) are the significant antecedents of VI and relationship of VI, TR and BI are highly significant. However, the fsQCA result indicates that a high level of VI impact leads to BI. This study uses VI as endorsers rather than traditional celebrities to promote tourism destinations as the current generation are living in the digital era and are highly inspired by innovations of social media platforms. The SA and PA favourably influences virtual humans and these artificial influencers indeed seem to have positive impact upon tourist response and their behavioural intention to travel.

Keywords: virtual influencers; tourist response; behavioural intention to travel; social attractiveness; physical attractiveness. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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