Digital Trends and Tools Driving Change in Marketing Free State Tourism Destinations: A Stakeholder's Perspective

Abstract

This study sought to determine the key digital trends and tools driving change in tourism destinations from the perspectives of South African marketers, specifically, those in the Free State province. Based on semi-structured interviews conducted with tourism destination marketers, the findings highlight key digital trends and tools causing disruptions and crucial shifts in tourism marketing. The results confirm that, although at a slow pace, Free State tourism destination marketers have embraced digital transformation and that the accelerated growth in digital technologies has reshaped the marketing processes of tourism destinations. The study contributes to the existing literature on digital marketing, which needs to be constantly updated, due to the changes in the trends, to improve the visitor experience. The study has implications for businesses, destinations, and policymakers in identifying key considerations for sustainable technology use, creating an enabling environment for digital adoption and transformation.