This study investigates the effects of social media influencer marketing activities on travel intention by integrating the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Social Influence Theory. As social media influencers have emerged as key information sour...
This study investigates the effects of social media influencer marketing activities on travel intention by integrating the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Social Influence Theory. As social media influencers have emerged as key information sources shaping travelers' attitudes and decision-making, understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying their persuasive effects has become increasingly important. This study proposes an integrated research model that examines how social media marketing activities influence travel intention through dual persuasion routes—source credibility (peripheral route) and argument quality (central route)—mediated by two types of social influence: informational influence and value-expressive influence. Additionally, this study examines the moderating effects of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), distinguishing between personal FOMO and social FOMO, and compares persuasion pathways between mega influencers (over 1 million followers) and non-mega influencers (10,000 to 1 million followers).
Data were collected from 400 respondents, equally divided between the mega influencer group (n=200) and the non-mega influencer group (n=200). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis.
The results indicate that all nine direct effect hypotheses (H1-H9) were supported. Social media marketing activities significantly influenced both source credibility and argument quality, with a stronger effect on source credibility. Source credibility also had a significant positive effect on argument quality, confirming a halo effect from peripheral to central route cues. Both source credibility and argument quality significantly influenced informational influence and value-expressive influence, which in turn positively affected travel intention. The two types of social influence showed similar levels of effect on travel intention.
Regarding FOMO's moderating effects, personal FOMO significantly moderated the relationship between value-expressive influence and travel intention, supporting H10. However, social FOMO showed no significant moderating effect, leading to the rejection of H11. This finding suggests that the fear of missing out on valuable experiences (personal FOMO) plays a more direct role in facilitating travel decisions than the fear of social exclusion (social FOMO).
Multi-group analysis revealed significant differences in persuasion pathways between influencer types. Non-mega influencers exhibited a significantly stronger effect of source credibility on value-expressive influence compared to mega influencers, partially supporting H12. Furthermore, the moderating effect of personal FOMO was significant only in the mega influencer group.
Overall, 11 of 12 hypotheses were supported. This study contributes to the literature by providing an integrated theoretical framework that combines ELM and Social Influence Theory to explain influencer marketing effectiveness in the tourism context. The findings offer practical implications for tourism marketers, suggesting that non-mega influencer campaigns should emphasize authenticity and trustworthiness, while mega influencer campaigns may benefit from activating personal FOMO through messages highlighting unique experiences. The differential effects across influencer types provide evidence-based guidance for developing tailored influencer marketing strategies in the tourism industry.