Keywords

1 Introduction

The integration of new technologies has brought about substantial changes in consumer preferences across various service industries, with the tourism sector being particularly impacted. The influence of digital technologies on tourist destinations is profound, challenging traditional economic and societal norms and reshaping the conventional perception of the tourism landscape [1]. This highlights the importance of destinations adapting to effectively manage their online presence, real-world reputation, and health and safety concerns [2]. The transformation potential of digital technologies in the tourism sector, including content distribution, the shift towards digital tourism offerings, and the restructuring of the value chain, is especially noteworthy [3]. Notably, these digital tools and platforms empower local service providers and destinations by enabling them to create and disseminate their digital content, granting them a level of autonomy [3].

In summary, digital technologies have brought about significant transformations in the tourism industry, challenging traditional norms and opening up new opportunities for businesses and destinations [1]. However, these advancements have also given rise to challenges, including the need for businesses to adapt their models to align with 21st-century marketing strategies, particularly in the realm of digital marketing [4]. One such emerging strategy is influencer marketing, which involves collaborating with social media influencers to promote tourist destinations and experiences. It's noteworthy that the tourism literature does not always treat influencer studies as a distinct and separate domain [5].

The growing intersection of influencers and tourism has become a central focus in tourism studies. With the rapid expansion of digital platforms and social media, tourists now seek inspiration and advice through these channels, significantly impacting their behaviors [6,7,8]. Consequently, more tourist destinations are collaborating with influencers for promotional campaigns, selecting them based on their orientations, target demographics, and the desired image they wish to convey to travellers [9, 10].

To understand this complex research landscape, we employ bibliometric analysis as a valuable tool for mapping emerging research domains. This systematic analysis reveals trends, influential works, and evolving themes in influencer tourism research, emphasizing its interdisciplinary nature.

2 Literature Review

The concept of an influencer refers to an individual who possesses significant credibility, expertise, or social authority within a specific domain or industry. Influencers have the power to sway the opinions, behaviors, and purchasing decisions of those who follow them, primarily through their digital presence on platforms such as social media, blogs, vlogs, and more. This impact often stems from the perception of their sincerity, reliability, and the trust they have built with their audience over time [11]. The volume editors, usually the program chairs, will be your main points of contact for the preparation of the volume. The evolution of the influencer concept has resulted in the categorization of influencers into various types based on factors like follower count, specialization, and brand associations [12]. These influencer categories include macro-influencers, known for their wide reach and strong reputation; mega-influencers, typically celebrities with an even larger following; micro-influencers, who may have a smaller reach but boast high engagement rates; nano-influencers, known for their limited yet authentic reach; and advisers, specializing in particular domains. Micro-influencers often prioritize niche audiences with heightened engagement, while macro-influencers and celebrities aim for broader exposure. Furthermore, influencers specialize in diverse areas such as fashion, beauty, travel, fitness, and technology, depending on their personal passions and expertise [13]. This categorization highlights the diversity within the influencer landscape, each type serving different purposes in influencing consumer behavior and shaping various industries, including tourism.

The intricate relationship between tourism and influencers has garnered significant attention from researchers. In the contemporary digital landscape, the prominent role of influencers in the tourism industry has prompted scholars to delve deeply into this phenomenon. Influencers' ability to forge authentic connections with their audience through personalized narratives, genuine experiences, and visually appealing content has redefined conventional destination marketing and revolutionized consumer engagement strategies [14]. This shift underscores the transformative impact of influencers on the tourism sector, prompting extensive scholarly exploration to understand their role, influence, and implications.

Research has unveiled several key themes within the realm of tourism and influencers. These encompass diverse areas such as the impact of influencers on sustainable tourism, the integration of influencers into digital marketing strategies, the role of trust in consumer travel decisions, the growth of research into tourism forecasting using various prediction models and online data, and the analysis of pro-environmental behaviors in the tourism and hospitality sector. These subjects shed light on the multifaceted interplay between influencers and tourism, highlighting their influence and strategies on one side and consumer decision-making mechanisms and ethical and environmental considerations on the other.

3 Materials and Methods

3.1 Bibliometrie

In this study, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to quantify and measure the impact of research findings. Bibliometrics involves a quantitative analysis of scholarly publications, including articles, books, and conference proceedings, with the aim of evaluating research influence [15]. It utilizes statistical methods to dissect patterns and trends within the scientific literature, including citation analysis, co-citation analysis, and bibliographic coupling [16]. Additionally, bibliometrics serves as a tool to assess individual researchers, research groups, institutions, and countries in terms of productivity and impact [15], while also identifying emerging research domains and collaboration networks [16].

Bibliometric mapping, increasingly utilized across various disciplines, has gained prominence [17], potentially due to its synergy with scientific mapping [18]. The comprehensive bibliometric mapping analysis conducted in this study encompassed data collection, filtering, extraction, analysis, and processing.

3.2 Data Collection and Search Strategy

To retrieve relevant articles, we utilized the globally recognized Scopus database for assessing scientific production [19]. Data extraction took place on August 16, 2023. The search term “influencers and tourism” was queried across all indexers in the Scopus collection. Peer-reviewed articles, written in English, and published in indexed scientific journals were retained based on eligibility criteria. The initial query generated 208 document results. These results were filtered to eliminate non-relevant items according to the eligibility criteria.

TITLE-ABS-KEY ( “influencers” AND “tourism” ) AND ( EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE , “Spanish” ) OR EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE , “Portuguese” ) OR EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE , “German” ) OR EXCLUDE ( LANGUAGE , “French” ) ).

After meticulous application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 196 relevant data points were collected. The analysis focused on articles containing the keyword “influencers and tourism” in titles, abstracts, or keywords.

3.3 Data Analysis and Visualization

In our quantitative bibliometric research, we harnessed the open-source bibliometrix R-package developed by Aria and Cuccurullo [18]. This comprehensive package offers diverse tools for bibliometric analysis, including statistical and scientific mapping algorithms. It also includes Biblioshiny, a user-friendly web interface introduced in version 2.0, facilitating data input from sources like Scopus or Web of Science into formats like BibTex, CSV, or Plain Text. For our bibliometric analysis, we followed Donthu et al.'s (2021) framework [20]. Firstly, we conducted performance analysis to dissect the contributions of various research entities, including authors, institutions, countries, and journals, within this dynamic field [21]. Key parameters such as total publications (TP), academic publications (TP-A), industry publications (TP-I), publications from university-industry collaboration (TP-AI), and author count allowed us to assess productivity, impact, and collaboration dynamics, providing a nuanced understanding of research entity significance and performance[21, 22].

Moreover, we employed scientific mapping, a pivotal technique in bibliometric analysis, to portray the intricate web of relationships and connections among research components in the influencers and tourism domain [21]. This technique, providing a comprehensive view of the intellectual structure and knowledge domains, encompasses methodologies like citation analysis, co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, co-word analysis, and co-authorship analysis [23]. Often integrated with network analysis, these methods yielded visually intuitive representations like maps, graphs, or clusters, delivering invaluable insights into the structural dynamics and trends within the influencers and tourism research field. Table 1 provides an overview of the dataset, outlining the various document types included.

Table 1. Main information about data.
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4 Results

4.1 Performance Analysis

This bibliometric study revealed a corpus of 196 publications, involving a total of 506 authors. Among these publications, there are journal articles (n = 129), conference papers (n = 27), reviews (n = 1), book chapters (n = 21), full-length books (n = 3), epistolary contributions in the form of letters (n = 3) and notes (n = 3), a singular case of retracted work, and a complete conference report.

In this study, we embark on a chronological journey, revealing the inception of research on mobile learning in 2005. However, the true focal point of our analysis lies in the significant upsurge in scholarly production after 2019. This increase notably intensified in 2022 (n = 46) and in 2023 (up to August 8, 2023) with a remarkable count of 43 publications. These findings shed light on the evolving landscape of research on the concept of influencers in the field of tourism over time.

In recent years, researchers' interest in influencers and their impact on the tourism sector has significantly escalated. This growing interest underscores the increasing importance of influencer marketing, which has become a highly effective strategy for enhancing the visibility of travel businesses and encouraging tourists to explore new destinations [24, 25]. This paradigm shift reflects a strong alignment with the evolving preferences and behaviors of modern tourists, who increasingly rely on influencer content for inspiration and travel decision-making [24]. In fact, our results illuminate the dynamic evolution of the “influencers” concept in tourism literature.

Fig. 1.
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Evolution of Research Interest Over Time.

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Figure 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the research interest in the topic during three distinct periods. Initially, from 2005 to 2018, research activity experienced relatively slow growth, with the number of publications per year gradually increasing from a modest 1 to a modest 10. Next, the second period, spanning from 2019 to 2020, witnessed a moderate resurgence in interest, with the number of publications reaching 18 and 20, respectively. Finally, the most recent third period, from 2021 to 2023, saw an extraordinary peak in interest and engagement with the topic, as evidenced by the number of publications exceeding 40 per year. This three-phase evolution underscores the increasing significance and dynamism of the field over time.

Figure 2 illustrates the correlation between average citation rates and the number of publications for certain years within the study period (2005–2019). It highlights intriguing patterns where distinct peaks in average citations are associated with varying numbers of publications. Notably, in 2005 and 2011, a single publication garnered attention, resulting in average citations of 43 and 11, respectively. In contrast, in 2013, three publications achieved an average of 53.33 citations, indicating a set of high-impact research. Similarly, in 2018 and 2019, substantial averages of 33.80 and 32.45 citations, respectively, were aligned with 18 and 19 publications, indicating an increase in research production and its influence.

Fig. 2.
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Average Citations vs. Number of Publications.

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Fluctuations in the average number of citations over the years are closely tied to the publication of significant articles, especially those that occupy top positions in the list of most-cited documents. This relationship can be illustrated by specific examples in our dataset. In 2005, for instance, Debbie Easterling's article emerged as one of the most-cited documents in our corpus. Similarly, in 2013, Tom Griffin's article stood out as the “third most-cited document.” The publication of this influential work in the field had a considerable impact on the average number of citations for that year [26]. In 2018, Xu Xu and Stephen Pratt's article ranked among the top three most-cited documents. However, 2018 was also marked by a substantial increase in the total number of publications [26]. Therefore, while the presence of highly-cited articles continued to influence the average number of citations, the larger volume of publications exerted a counter-effect. A similar trend was observed in 2019, where the publication of significant articles contributed to a notable average number of citations. However, the increase in the number of publications that year again played a role in the overall average. This highlights the dynamic interaction between important articles that rank well in citation lists and the total number of publications, both of which collectively influence the average number of citations in a given year, thus underscoring the complex nature of scholarly impact and the multiple factors contributing to citation patterns in academic research.

Figure 3 provides an overview of key academic sources that have significantly contributed to the discourse on influencers and tourism. Notably, “Current Issues in Tourism” emerges as the predominant contributor with 15 related publications. Close behind is “Sustainability (Switzerland)” with 9 articles, followed by “Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics” with 8 publications. Several other journals have also played substantial roles in advancing research in this domain, including “Journal of Travel Research” and “Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies,” both with 5 publications. Furthermore, “Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science,” “Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management,” and “International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management” each published 4 articles. These diverse sources collectively reflect the interdisciplinary nature of influencers and tourism research, underscoring the growing academic and industry interest in this field.

Fig. 3.
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Most relevant sources.

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4.2 Science Mapping

Certainly, the mention of “NA NA” in Figure 4 as the most prolific author with 8 publications likely indicates that these publications are conference papers rather than journal articles or other types of scholarly works. This is a common practice in bibliometric analyses, where the author's names are anonymized or represented by placeholders like “NA NA” when the specific author information is not available or not disclosed, especially in the case of conference papers. So, in this context, “NA NA” is a representation of one or more authors who have contributed a significant number of conference papers to the field of influencers and tourism. Remarkably, all of these contributions take the form of conference papers, underscoring a significant presence in academic conferences dedicated to this topic. Following closely are authors such as C. Francalanci and A. Hussain, each with 4 publications, who have played pivotal roles in advancing the discourse on influencers and their impact on the tourism industry. Additionally, prominent researchers like U. Gretzel, P. Kumar, and AS Aloudat have each contributed to three publications, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to this rapidly evolving field of study. Collectively, these leading authors have significantly influenced the academic landscape of influencers and tourism, providing diverse perspectives and insights through a range of publication types, thus promoting an interdisciplinary and multidimensional approach to this dynamic field.

Fig. 4.
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Leading authors.

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Figure 5 reveals the most frequent keywords in the field of research on influencers and tourism, providing valuable insights into the primary areas of interest in this domain. At the forefront are the words “social media” and “tourism,” highlighting the central role of digital platforms in the context of the tourism industry. The term “marketing” closely follows, underscoring the crucial role played by influencer marketing in promoting tourist destinations. Additionally, keywords such as “perception,” “tourist behavior,” and “decision-making” emphasize the intricate exploration of tourist preferences and decision-making processes. In particular, the presence of terms like “China” and “Covid-19” underscores the significant impact of global events on this dynamic field. In summary, these keywords collectively encompass the diverse facets and multidisciplinary nature of research on influencers and tourism.

Our thematic analysis of documents published in the field of influencers and tourism reveals a diverse range of key themes. Figure 6 provides an overview of these foundational themes that form the basis of research, encompassing concepts such as “tourism,” “influencer,” “influencer marketing,” “Instagram,” “social media,” “influencers,” and the evolving impact of “Covid-19.” These themes serve as cornerstones upon which much of the discourse rests. Within this thematic framework, certain driving themes have gained prominence, shaping the course of research. In particular, “destination image” and “digital influencers” emerge as dynamic drivers, reflecting their essential roles in contemporary tourism dynamics. Concurrently, several niche themes have carved out a place, adding depth and specificity to discussions. Themes such as “digital marketing,” “netnography,” “China,” and “social media influencers” correspond to specialized areas of interest and research. In this evolving context, the analysis identifies themes that are either on the rise or declining. “Social media influencers” appear as a burgeoning area of interest, reflecting the increasing importance of this subset within the broader context of influencers and tourism. This thematic mapping illustrates the multiple facets of research on influencers and tourism, with different themes intersecting and evolving, thereby enriching our understanding of this dynamic field.

Fig. 5.
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The most frequent keywords.

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Fig. 6.
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Thematic map.

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5 Discussion

This article offers a comprehensive overview that meticulously traces the trajectory of research on the theme connecting influencers and tourism. It is a journey through time that reveals a fascinating narrative of the evolution of this field. What is clear is the remarkable growth and profound transformation that have characterized this subject over the years. This metamorphosis speaks volumes about the increasing importance of influencers in the broader context of the tourism industry. The concept of influencers in the tourism domain has undeniably evolved over time, tracing a fascinating path in the existing literature. Initially, influencers were seen as sources of credibility and conveyors of persuasive messages to their followers, especially on social media platforms like Instagram [27]. However, with the unprecedented rise of the Internet and social media, influencers gradually transformed into a formidable force, exerting their influence in various sectors, including the ever-evolving landscape of tourism [28, 29]. It's increasingly evident that influencers possess the unique ability to influence consumer attitudes, extending their influence even to critical areas such as sustainable tourism development. Among these influential figures, influencers in the tourism sector have proven to be particularly significant, wielding considerable power in promoting local travel and captivating audiences with engaging content that encompasses landscapes, artistic treasures, and immersive nature experiences [30].

The data presented in Figure 1 reveals three distinct periods in the evolution of annual research production. From 2005 to 2018, research in the field exhibited slow growth, with the number of publications per year gradually increasing from 1 to 10. This phase marked the initial exploration of the connection between influencers and tourism, often seen as a startup period. However, a significant turning point came in 2019, indicating the second period, characterized by a surge in interest. The number of publications skyrocketed, reaching 18 and 20 in 2019 and 2020, respectively, due to the growing recognition of influencer marketing's potential in the tourism sector. The most recent period, spanning from 2021 to 2023, saw a substantial increase in interest, with over 40 publications per year. This exponential growth underscores the field's dynamism and ongoing relevance.

Furthermore, thematic analysis reveals the dynamic and adaptive nature of research in the influencers and tourism field. Researchers have responded to global events like the Covid-19 pandemic, delved into fundamental questions regarding destination marketing and tourist behavior, explored innovative research methodologies like netnography, and shed light on specific subsets of influencers, especially those operating in the realm of social media. These collective efforts have enriched the body of knowledge and facilitated a more comprehensive understanding of influencers' role in the tourism landscape and the complex dynamics involved. While “core” and “driver” themes have persisted, emphasizing the role of influencers in shaping tourist choices and effective marketing, “emerging” and “niche” themes like “netnography” and “social media influencer” demonstrate the field's adaptability and exploration of new methodologies to comprehend online communities and the unique influence of social media influencers. Collectively, these findings underscore the dynamic and responsive nature of research in the influencers and tourism field, addressing contemporary challenges, fundamental questions, and emerging trends, enriching the field's knowledge. In conclusion, this comprehensive exploration of influencer marketing in tourism reveals a dynamic field that has evolved significantly over the years. It highlights the growing influence of influencers in shaping the tourism industry and emphasizes the need for adaptable marketing strategies. Furthermore, it underscores the interdisciplinary nature of research in this domain, encouraging collaboration among researchers from diverse backgrounds. While the study provides valuable insights, it also acknowledges its limitations, primarily its temporal scope and reliance on quantitative methods. Future research directions include investigating recent developments, cross-cultural analyses, and ethical considerations. Understanding the impact of influencer marketing and integrating emerging technologies in tourism campaigns will be essential in shaping the industry's future.

5.1 Future Research Lines and Limitations of the Study

Exploring post-2023 developments in influencer marketing is crucial for adapting to changing consumer behaviors and global events. Cross-cultural analyses assess how cultural factors influence influencer marketing effectiveness. Investigating tangible impacts through empirical studies provides insights, and ethical considerations, such as transparent and responsible influencer tourism promotion, gain significance. Examining how influencer content shapes consumer travel decisions offers research opportunities. This study has implications for stakeholders, emphasizing evolving trends and the need for adaptable strategies in the tourism sector. It informs strategies for destinations, travel companies, and influencers, fostering innovative approaches in this dynamic field.