Measuring the impacts of travel influencers on bicycle travellers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social media influencer is one of the new concepts that emerged with the development of information technologies and new media. The study aims to explain the impacts of travel influencers on their followers in the context of bicycle touring as a sustainable special interest tourism type. For this, mixed methods research was performed by using exploratory design. In the first phase of the research, qualitative research was carried out through in-depth interviews. A scale development study was carried out in light of the themes and codings acquired. In the second phase, a survey was conducted with 915 participants. As a result of the analysis, the ‘Travel Influencers’ Impacts Scale’ emerged, which met the validity and reliability criteria. According to the findings, the impacts of traveller influencers on their followers can be categorized into four categories: ‘informative effects, motivating effects, effects as a role model, and communal effects.’ The study provides theoretical contributions to understanding travel influencers as tourism actors and to measuring their effects on their followers. Additionally, the study provides some implications for public and private sector representatives to establish cooperation with influencers or use the influencer marketing approach.