Influence of Social Media Use on Travel Decisions of the Modern Tourist
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33595/2226-1478.17.1588Keywords:
social media, domestic tourism, user-generated content, travel decision-makingAbstract
The growing use of social media has profoundly changed the way tourists imagine, plan, and make travel decisions; however, it is still not entirely clear to what extent these platforms actually influence such decisions, particularly in the context of domestic tourism in Peru. In response, this study aimed to analyze the influence of social media on the behavior of the modern tourist. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and explanatory design. A total of 400 surveys were conducted with domestic tourists in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno, complemented by 12 interviews with tourism experts. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s Rho (p), while qualitative data were examined through thematic coding. The findings show that tourists place greater trust in user-generated content than in influencer-generated content; however, the weak correlations found (r < 0.1) suggest that this influence on final decision-making is indirect. In this sense, social media appear to inspire travel decisions rather than determine them.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Noemí Emperatriz Cayo-Velásquez, Delia Condori Chura, Rocio Sunmy Jaen Espirilla, Greilyn Mackiori Mamani Ramos, Romina Aracely Mamani Neira
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