The Potential of Travel Bloggers in Marketing Tourist Destinations: The Example of The “A Blogger for Italy” Platform

Abstract

The study analyses the role of the travel blogger as a contemporary expression of tourism marketing. In the new digital reality, travel bloggers perform the intermediary function between destination and customer that in the offline world has long been performed by traditional tour operators and travel agents. The message of these influencers can be much more effective than the expensive advertising campaigns implemented by tourism organizations through traditional marketing channels. Establishing a connection between travel bloggers and tour operators, therefore becomes a crucial strategy for exploiting the potential offered by the ITC in the field of tourism promotion. Within this vision, and as an example of good practice, the study illustrates the digital platform "A blogger for Italy" which is one of the first attempts to create, at a national level, a structured network between travel bloggers and tour operators. The study suggests that travel bloggers can become ambassadors of territoriality especially with reference to places away from the usual mass tourism routes and for which a growing segment of tourism demand shows renewed interest.