Travel and tourism in South Africa through the lens of Instagram: a local destination marketing study

Instagram has become a dominant visual platform through which travellers document and share their travel experiences, positioning it as an increasingly influential information channel for tourism-related decision-making. Despite its widespread use, limited empirical evidence exists on how domestic travellers in South Africa adopt and utilise Instagram within a destination marketing context. Drawing on a modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study examines the extent to which local travellers in South Africa engage with Instagram during their domestic travel experiences. The study targeted residents of South Africa who had travelled locally and used Instagram while travelling. Using a non-probability sampling approach, 349 usable survey responses were collected and analysed. The findings demonstrate strong empirical support for the relationship between behavioural intention and actual Instagram use, highlighting the central role of traveller attitudes in driving platform engagement. The findings demonstrate strong empirical support for the relationship between behavioural intention and actual Instagram use, highlighting the central role of traveller attitudes in driving platform engagement. These results suggest that destination marketing organisations should prioritise strategies that enhance positive user attitudes and intentions toward Instagram. Overall, the study underscores the strategic value of user-generated content as a cost-effective mechanism for increasing destination visibility and engagement within the South African tourism market.