Role Of Travel Influencers In the Tourism Industry Among the Indian Population

The rapid development of the social media has changed the tourism industry in terms of destination marketing and decision making in issues concerning traveling. The role of travel influencers has been brought to the fore as a potent opinion leader in the evolving digital space environment and can have a potent effect on the perceptions, credibility and destination choice of a tourist. The present study examines how travel influencers are significant in tourism industry among the Indian population, specifically, the credibility of the influencers, the contents, and the social media engagement as a factor that determines trust and awareness of the destination among tourists and their decision to travel. Primary data in the form of a structured questionnaire were collected using a sample of 200 respondents in India using descriptive and analytical research design. The data was analyzed through the SPSS using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and linear regression. Since the outcomes demonstrated that the effect of travel influencers on the tourism-related decisions is significant and positive, and the aspect of the credibility of influencers is the most significant predictor of tourist confidence and tourist intent, then the quality of the content and social media application. The study also found out that the content produced by the influencers enhances awareness of a destination and reduces the perceived risk of traveling and therefore, increases the confidence of the tourists in their travel choices. The research concludes that travel influencers play a strategic role in the current tourism promotion in India, and they aid in bridging the gap between destinations and travelers and proposes the application of credibility-based and responsible influencer collaboration to achieve sustainable tourism development.