Digital Marketing, Social Media and Influencer Strategies in Tourism

Abstract

Significantly, the rapid digital evolution of the global economy has reshaped the tourism sector from traditional promotional paradigms to innovative digital ecosystems. This paper examines the strategic utilization of social media and influencer marketing as the primary drivers for tourism branding and economic development. This research utilizes a systematic review of recent literature to analyze the effectiveness of digital touchpoints in shaping traveler behavior and brand loyalty. The results reveal a critical “strategy-execution gap” wherein 30.7% of tourism entities do not measure digital ROI despite the high perceived benefits of digital monitoring. Moreover, the research identifies critical shifts in the tourism landscape, wherein 67.9% of high-value cultural tourists belong to the 40-59 age group. This calls for a transition from traditional influencer marketing to high-credibility influencer marketing led by experts. The research concludes that for tourism organizations to achieve sustainable growth, it is imperative to transcend traditional visual content to manage complex digital experiences that match the values of niche consumers, such as environmental sustainability.