Influencers on Instagram are reshaping the travel landscape
In a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, researchers delved into the influence of travel influencers on people's holiday choices. The study, which analysed the effects of influencer content on Instagram, aimed to shed light on how these digital ambassadors shape our travel plans.
To control the experiment, the study used fake Instagram posts featuring real influencers Kane Vato and Elise Cook. By eliminating the noise of trends, hashtags, or viral moments, the researchers focused on the psychology of persuasion. The study deliberately kept visual styles and captions similar across various destinations, to focus on how influencers work rather than measuring destination performance differences.
Contrary to popular belief, the study found that identification with influencers (sense of "being like them" or wanting to emulate their lifestyle) had less impact than "informativeness" or persuasion in travel decisions. This suggests a shift away from "bucket list" tourism and towards more meaningful, personal experiences.
Intriguingly, the study showed that audiences recognize influencer posts as advertising, but this only slightly reduces purchase intentions and does not significantly affect people's desire to visit destinations or change travel plans. The study's findings suggest that a baseline level of transparency about sponsored content helps other persuasive factors work more effectively in travel decisions.
Interestingly, the study found that influencers impact both deliberate research and spontaneous inspiration in travel decisions. In other words, they can trigger an "impulse-buying effect" in travel plans. This was evident in a spike in Paris travel searches following the release of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon, with online searches for Flights to Paris jumping 260% within 24 hours of the show's ninth episode airing, while "Travel to Paris" queries spiked 773%.
The study also revealed that when people are put off when they recognize posts as advertising. However, the study focused on understanding the basic psychological mechanisms of influencer content's impact on travel decisions, rather than examining how different influencer characteristics might change these effects.
Another interesting finding was that the study used travel influencers with over 100,000 followers each, but did not compare different sizes or types of influencer accounts. This leaves room for further research to explore how the number of followers, type of influencer, and other factors might influence travel decisions.
In a separate survey by Insure&Go, it was found that 66% of Australians over 50 plan to seek out quieter, lesser-known destinations in the next two years, citing rising costs and over tourism as the main deterrents to visiting popular hotspots. Two-thirds of over-50s would actively seek out alternatives and nearly a quarter said they would bypass tourist hotspots altogether. When asked which alternatives most appealed, 51% of respondents said small towns with a rich cultural heritage, such as Matera in Italy, Ronda in Spain, or Kotor in Montenegro.
In conclusion, the study provides valuable insights into the role of influencers in shaping travel decisions. While it is clear that influencers can have a significant impact on travel plans, the findings suggest that transparency about sponsored content is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of influencer marketing in the travel industry. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these findings influence marketing strategies and consumer behaviour in the future.
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