Impact of Social Media Influencers Credibility on Destination Brand Trust and Destination Purchase Intention: Extending Meaning Transfer Model?

This study is intended to know the effect of sub-dimensions of social media influencer’s credibility (SMIC) on destination purchase intention (DPI) of visitors, and the mediating role of destination brand trust (DBT) in the relationship. Grounded in the positivism paradigm, the study adopts a quantitative approach. A total of 356 tourists during their Kashmir trip participated in the questionnaire survey. Descriptive analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0) software and structural equation modelling to test the proposed model was conducted by using Analysis of Moment Structures software (AMOS 23.0). Results of this study revealed that SMIC (trustworthiness, similarity, attractiveness) significantly impacted DBT and DPI. Additionally, the relationship between SMIC and DPI was considerably mediated by DBT. Further, Meaning Transfer Model is also validated, as the results of this study were in resonance with this theory. The results of this study will facilitate tourism policy makers in framing policies and choosing the most appropriate social media influencer (SMI), as well as guide people who looking forward at influencer marketing as a career and researchers working on social media marketing within tourism.