Social media marketing, country marketing organisations and tourist behaviour: the mediating role of eWOM in destination branding

Purpose This study examines how country marketing organisation (CMO)–led campaigns influence electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), brand equity (awareness and image) and visit intention, providing insight into the strategic marketing communication power of CMOs in national destination branding. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 362 followers of official CMO social media accounts. Data were processed using partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings Results reveal that CMO social media marketing significantly enhances eWOM, brand awareness and brand image. eWOM strongly predicts brand awareness and visit intention, though not brand image. Mediation analysis highlights eWOM as a crucial mechanism linking CMO social media marketing to both awareness and intention, confirming its role as a bridging mechanism in destination branding outcomes. Research limitations/implications By integrating S–O–R with the Information Adoption Model (IAM), this study provides a more precise explanation of how social media marketing stimuli are cognitively processed through eWOM, ultimately shaping brand-related outcomes and influencing travel behaviour. Practical implications The findings provide actionable recommendations for CMOs and tourism policymakers to design impactful social media strategies that amplify eWOM, build stronger national brand awareness and stimulate intention to visit. This study also emphasises the need to position CMOs as proactive brand custodians who go beyond disseminating information to create participatory online communities. Originality/value Unlike prior research that broadly addresses tourism marketing, this study uniquely centres on CMOs as national-level brand orchestrators. It provides empirical evidence that state-driven marketing efforts foster eWOM and influence tourists’ decision-making.