Entertainers, not educators? Social media influencers and risk communication in outdoor travel

Abstract

Social media travel and adventure influencers present both challenges and opportunities for outdoor recreation management and public safety. With large and engaged audiences, these influencers shape followers' travel decisions and risk-taking behaviours in natural settings, prompting the need for new communication strategies from land managers and public health practitioners. This study investigated how Australian travel and adventure influencers perceive and communicate risk in their online content. Semi-structured interviews with influencers were conducted online between September and December 2023, exploring their views on their own risk-taking, whether and how they convey risk information to followers, and the extent to which they believe they hold responsibility for educating audiences about safety in the outdoors. Interviews were thematically analysed using an exploratory design informed by Source Credibility Theory to interpret emerging themes within established communication frameworks. Three themes were identified: influencers generally position themselves as entertainers rather than educators, distancing themselves from responsibility for followers' behaviour; risk-taking and autonomy form a key part of influencer identity and online credibility; and effective communication with influencers requires approaches that prioritise authenticity and align with their personal and professional values. Overall, the findings indicate that while influencers resist assumptions that they should provide safety information or model cautious behaviour, there are opportunities for land management agencies to collaborate with them through co-designed communication strategies that leverage influencers’ strengths without conflicting with their self-presentation or perceived autonomy.