Is travel bragging in the eye of the beholder? Bragger and audience perspectives

Abstract

Travel bragging refers to showing off or boasting about travel experiences. Despite its ubiquity on social media, travel bragging has been relatively under-researched. This study examines travel bragging from a dual perspective of both braggers and audiences. Based on 30 semi-structured interviews with participants who frequently posted or bragged about travel experiences and who had been frequently exposed to others' travel bragging on social media, we provide the first systematic conceptualization of travel bragging. We highlight the perception gaps between travel braggers and the audience regarding travel bragging, while uncovering the positive and negative effects of travel bragging and associated theoretical underpinnings.