The role of igers in the territorial dynamics of sustainable tourism-oriented destinations

Abstract

The territorial dynamics of tourism destinations are growingly be influenced by the advancement in digital and social media communication. In particular, opinion leaders or influencers in social media play an important role in determining the image and the value perceived by different types of territorial stakeholders. More specifically, the paper explores the role of Instagram influencers (Igers) in shaping destination images of sustainable tourism destination worldwide. A visual analysis of posts on Instagram in a 7-year span (2012–2019) is carried out to analyze differences in different macro-regions and identify associations of influencers with various destinations. Findings show that engagement level vary at continent level and territorial dynamics are determined by cultural similarities, especially on the West-East axis. Implications and associated research avenues are discussed to develop insights for assessing the value of different types of influencers in affecting territorial dynamics, both in tourism management and in designing the evolution of rural areas towards a sustainable-oriented image.