Influencer Marketing and Tourism: Another Threat to Integrity for the Industry?

Abstract

Although influencer marketing is deemed as the panacea to marketing issues and the solution to success for many tourism businesses, this research highlights some of the challenges and threats associated with its practice. Based on the literature available on the topic and some of the latest evidence from a variety of locations, we examine the phenomenon from a range of perspectives including audiences, policy and regulatory, influencers, destination management organizations, as well as tourism organizations. This study highlights that more attention should be paid to vulnerable groups such as young audiences and local communities. This study concludes with implications for theory and practices and future research avenues for influencer marketing in tourism.