The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Destination Choice Among Millennial Travelers in Jordan

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of social media influencers on destination choice among Jordanian millennial travelers. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships between five key aspects of social media influencers (recommendations, perceived authenticity, credibility and trustworthiness, engagement with followers, and perceived expertise) and their followers' destination choices. The study employs a quantitative research design, using an online survey to collect data from a sample of 500 Jordanian millennials who are active social media users and follow travel influencers. In the present study, PLS-SEM is applied to analyse the data and to confirm the proposed hypotheses. The findings show that all the five constructs of social media influencers influence destination choice intentions and recommendations and perceived authenticity have the highest influence. First, the present study extends knowledge in the field by testing the application of the Social Influence Theory to the use of influencers in social media and destination choice, and by offering proof of the process by which influencers influence the purchasing decisions of followers. Therefore, the study provides relevant implications to destination marketing and tourism management, especially focusing on cooperation with right, credible, and enthusiastic influencers in order to promote destinations and capture potential consumers. This study’s contribution is in assessing various faces of social media influencers and their influence over destination selection specifically for the less explored context of Jordanian millennial travellers. This research lays the foundation for subsequent research to analyze effects of social media influencers on travel choices among different segments as well as cultures.