Critically Determining the Influence of Social Media on Tourists in UK

This report critically examines the influence of social media on tourists in the UK. It explores the importance of social media for tourists, focusing on the behaviors of Gen Y and Gen Z, and how social platforms impact their decision-making processes. The study investigates how tourists utilize social media for booking trips and analyzes the impact of social media on the tourism industry. The literature review synthesizes existing research on the topic, and the methodology outlines the approach taken for data collection and analysis. The findings and discussion section presents the results of the research, including the implications of social media on tourist behavior and booking patterns. The report concludes with recommendations for the tourism industry to improve operations and leverage social media effectively, alongside a reflection on the research process.

Influence of social media on
tourists

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Research Background..................................................................................................................1
Research aim and objectives.......................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................9
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
Recommendation...........................................................................................................................20
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................24

Title of study: “To critically determine the influence of social media on Tourists. A study on
UK.”
INTRODUCTION
Research Background
Britain tends to have high degree of support from the tourism industry. Large number of
tourists from across the globe visit UK every year. More than 2 million jobs has been created by
the UK travel and tourism industry. The UK Social media and digital marketing has grown over
the years. Social media helps tourism companies to interact directly with the consumers with the
help of various digital and social media platforms which are available online. There are various
set of social networking sites such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, et
cetera are considered to be very useful for the tourists to gain wide set of information associated
with the particular destination (The Impact of Social Media on the Tourism Industry, 2015).
Consumers tend to engage with various social media networking sites which helps in making
them informed decision associated with travels. This is considered to be as one of the most
prominent way to share experience of the individual person with the help of social media. There
are various set of online applications such as Foursquare, Facebook, Instagram, trip advisor,
Twitter tends to allow tourists to provide a platform which helps in sharing the location of the
place, post photos and also check in on the real time basis. Social media is an effective platform
where the large number of people focuses on sharing the personal experience of the people who
has already travelled to various destinations across the globe. Social media will play crucial role
in decision making behaviour and carrying out information search. This is one of the significant
practice which is useful in interacting with the customers. This study will highlight on critically
determining the influence of social media on Tourists in the UK. This study will critically
explore on how tourists rely on social media for booking their trips in the UK. It also helps in
critically evaluating how emerging population of GEN Y and GEN Z who rely on the internet for
tourism.
Research aim and objectives
Research Aim
“To critically determine the influence of social media on Tourists. A study on UK.”
Research Objectives
 To critically evaluate the importance and relevance of social media for Tourists.
1

 To determine how emerging population of GEN Y and GEN Z who rely on the internet
for tourism.
 To examine how social media influence the decision making of the Tourists.
 To provide appropriate recommendation which helps social media in improving the
operations of tourism industry.
Research Questions
 How tourists rely on social media for booking their trips in the UK?
 How emerging population of GEN Y and GEN Z who rely on the internet for tourism?
 How social media influence the decision making of the Tourists?
 What are appropriate recommendation which helps social media in improving the
operations of tourism industry?
Rationale
The researcher of the study has carried out the study because of the academic and personal
interest of the researcher. The researcher will in turn tends to focus on critically evaluating the
various aspects of the study by gaining wider set of perspective. The researcher of the study
tends to evaluate the research topic because of their own personal interest. The researcher is
highly interested to effectively evaluate the influence of social media on Tourists in the UK. The
researcher of the study has also carried out the study on this research topic because it helps in
gaining wider set of perspective on the subject matter. This study is considered to be very
prominent in order to gain wider set of view on the specific subject matter.
Research significance
This study is going to be very beneficial for the researcher who further wants to investigate
on the subject matter. This study is considered to be as an appropriate base which eventually
leads to better care results and outcomes. This study is going to be highly beneficial for the
tourist industry within the United Kingdom because it helps in effectively analysing the various
key elements associated with this research study. The researcher of the study must in turn tends
to highly focus on effectively selecting the best research methodology which eventually leads to
greater set of results and outcomes. This study is considered to be highly significant for the
scholars and students who are studying within the hospitality sector. This way it helps in gaining
wider views and perspective related with the influence of social media on Tourists in the UK.
2

The significance of the research is highly prominent because it will be useful for the travellers to
gain relevant set of information on the subject matter.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is referred to as one of the comprehensive summary associated with the
specific research topic. The literature review is useful because it leads to comprehensively
surveying the subject topic with the use of books, scholarly articles, journals, manuals, etc.
which helps in making sources relevant for the particular area of the research. The literature
review is useful in enumerating and evaluating the gaps within the research and create an
argumentative data by taking into consideration the viewpoints of the various researcher.
To critically evaluate the importance and relevance of social media for Tourists.
Xu, Wei, and Zhao, (2016) sought to determine the fact that, Social media tends to put great
emphasis on the tourism industry. Social media is very useful in promoting tourism and also
engage consumers on the various social networking sites in order to research trips and also make
informed decisions associated with your travels. It also helps consumers in sharing their personal
experiences at a particular restaurant, airline and hotel. Social media and digital marketing has
grown over the years. Social media helps tourism companies to interact directly with the
consumers with the help of various digital and social media platforms which are available online.
It also helps companies to effectively communicate the message in order to provide potential set
if care services to the tourists. Social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook,
Pinterest, Twitter, et cetera are considered to be very useful for the tourists. Social media such as
Facebook friends to have significant potential to affect the emotions of the tourist and also
improve the experience of the tourist. Consumers tend to engage with various social media
networking sites which helps in making them informed decision associated with travels and also
helps in sharing their personal experience social media such as Facebook aims to have significant
potential to affect the emotions of the tourist and also improve the experience of the tourist.
Consumers tend to engage with various social media networking sites which helps in making
them informed decision associated with travels and also helps in sharing their personal
experience.
Moreover, Narangajavana and et.al., (2017) examined the fact that, Customers are using social
media during before and after the travel in order to share the experience whether good or bad. It
is an important strategy which has an expanding and facilitating experience of the tourist. How
3

widespread use of the increased number of social media applications and web digital applications
helps in shaping the travel and tourism company. The large number of tourist highly get
influenced by the content which has been generated on the social media and get attracted to the
particular destination. Social media platforms highly influenced the thinking of the customers
and affected decision-making capabilities. Social media platforms are important because it helps
in generating large number of customers who get attracted to the specific destination. This
eventually leads to higher customer base and profitability for the tourism company. Ráthonyi and
et.al., (2016) examined that, use of information communication technology plays a very
prominent role within the travel and tourism industry. Integration of the information should
technology results to higher success of the tourism. It is very useful for the customers or tourist
to get access to the pages information associated with the tour and travel services from anywhere
across the globe. It has been providing real-time information which leads to higher customer
experience. Social media tends to largely shape the emotions and perceptions of the tourist.
Social media largely influenced various aspects associated with the tourism industry which
includes local communities, tourists. It also helps in demonstrating the contribution of the social
media platforms to the tourism industry.
Parsons, (2017) established is view points by stating that, large number of tourists in turn
highly rely on the social media and digital media applications for the bookings of holidays and
trips in United Kingdom. With the high degree of reliance of tourist on internet and social media
it has become extensively important for the tourism industry which helps in evaluating the needs
and wants of the customers. Social media is very prominent because it tends to highly rely on
social media because it helps in adding ease to the life. Tourists tend to highly rely on the various
social media networks because it helps them learn and explore more about the new set of travel
destination. Tajvidi and Karami, (2017) examined the fact that, social media is considered to be
very useful in taking key decisions about the various trips to the future. Social media is also
considered to be as one of the effective marketing campaign which helps in delivering various
set of information to the tourist within few clicks. There are various travel and tourism
companies who has made their own page on the social media platforms which includes all the
information associated with the type of facilities, ambience and range of hospitality services are
provided to the tourists. Moreover, tourist can also customize their staying experience and
inform the same by using various set of social media platforms. It aids ease of convenience to the
4

tourists because it largely helps in attaining higher operational goals and objectives for the
people.
Okazaki, Andreu and Campo, (2017) established is view points by stating that, Social media
is one of the prominent tool which is useful in effectively carrying out the destination marketing
organization. Use of internet and communication technology has led to the new era associated
with the tourism economy. Social media is a significant and one of the most powerful online
networking tool which is useful for the relevance of the social media for the tourists. Web based
social networking tends to have a gigantic effect upon the tourism business. Consumers tend to
engage with the range of social networking platforms related with the research trips and it is
useful in making informed set of decision in order to share the personal experience of the tourist
related with particular hotel and destination. Digital tourism has changed the way tourism has
been marketed. Publishing range of blogs related with the top destination and the lesser known
facts about the place is useful in increasing the curiosity among the travellers which helps in
exploring the new places. Llodra-Riera, and et.al., (2015) argued that, there are travel agencies
and other companies who has been using social media and the other platforms in order to make
travellers aware about the products and services which has been offered by the company. With
the use of social media platforms, the sharing of the information can be done to the large set of
audience within no time. There seems to striking growth within the business because of the use
of digital media. This results in overall growth and extension within the tourism industry. The
use of the social media sites with the help of internet has been used more frequently when
compared with the physical participation of the individual within the communication process.
However, the communication within the virtual world is more rapid. It is useful in transmission
of valid set of information using social media platforms.
To determine how emerging population of GEN Y and GEN Z who rely on the internet for
tourism.
Nash, (2019) sought to determine the fact that, Generations z is considered to be always on
traveller. Generation z tends to focus on travel consistently year round and still focus on making
spur of the moment travel plans. The explosion of the social media has reached the customers
and travellers. Moreover, marketers ought to think about the generation z and millennials, it is
considered to be very crucial to think about the use of the social media. However, bring the
digital natives it is considered to be very important that social media and demographics ought to
5

go in hand in hand. Social media is considered to be one of the key which helps in reaching the
Generation y and generation z. The content which has been shared with the help of the social
media it is considered to be very crucial because it helps in providing peer to peer content which
largely attracts the customer towards specific destination. Moreover, Amaro and Duarte, (2017)
examined the fact that, Generation y and generation z ought to pick the travel destination and
bunch of adventurous activities which is usually based on what their friends and family has
posted online. However, generation y and generation z has imposed indelibe mark on the tourism
industry. Generation z and generation y has in turn grew up in a more connected world with the
help of the social media networks. Moreover, social media helps in gaining in person experience
which eventually leads to higher operational growth and sustainability. Posts on Facebook and
Instagram tends to highly influence the future travel plans of the tourists. Social media platforms
in turn are considered to very useful in catering attention of the tourists from across the globe to
visit specific destination. Hudson and et.al., (2015) stated that, Generation x and generation y
tends to focus on researching more about the particular destination with the use of the internet.
These social media sites are considered to be very useful because it helps in finding the best
possible way in order to select the specific destination. Social media is considered to be very
useful because it helps tourists in effectively analysing the reviews online by evaluating the true
reviews and feedback of the travellers from across the globe. This way it helps in taking the best
possible decision from the tourists to make appropriate choice associated with the travelling.
Okazaki, Andreu and Campo, (2017) established is view points by stating that, Generation
Zers are considered to be of the most prominent demographic who in turn tends to have high
degree of unparalleled sense associated with the global awareness. Travel in turn is considered to
be at the huge priority for the Generation Z. It is considered to be of the great relevance and want
to see more of the world. This helps travel industry to effectively focus on the attainment of the
better goals and objectives by catering attention of the right set of audience. Generation Y and
Generation Z must focus on providing mobile first approach which in turn helps in providing
authentic local experience to the customers. Generation Y and Generation Z are actively
participating within various social media platforms. Millennials and the Generation Z focuses on
forever changing the travel experience.
Subsequently, Chung and Han, (2017) argued that, with the increase in the use of the social
media marketing it is considered to be very crucial which largely attains the goals and objectives.
6

With the high degree of availability of the Google, smartphones and social media it is considered
to be very important and has changed the experience of the tourist forever. Generation Z and
generation Y tends to highly focus on posting the pictures of the vacation online which makes
other tourist get attracted to the specific destination. Magasic, (2016) stated that, members of
both generation Y and Generation Z will likely to post various set of travel photos on social
media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Online review on such social media
applications in turn is considered to be very useful as it helps in increasing the brand image and
loyalty of the tourists towards the specific brand.
To examine how social media influence the decision making of the Tourists.
Madondo, (2016) sought to determine the fact that, social media highly influences the
decision making of the tourists. There are various set of social media platforms which in turn
largely influence the decision making of an individual tourists. There are various set of social
networking sites such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, et cetera are
considered to be very useful for the tourists to gain wide set of information associated with the
particular destination. Social media marketing tends to generally influence the younger set of
generation which in turn affects the decision making of the tourists at a greater scale. Social
media largely influences the travel plan at a greater scale. Social media is considered to be very
useful because it helps in attracting large number of customers from across the globe. It helps in
encouraging the loyalty of the customers towards the particular travel brand or destination. There
are large number of pages which posts photos of the various travel destination. This way social
media helps in catering attention of the various customers from across the globe. This helps in
creating a valuable opportunity for the travellers which in turn largely influence the decisions of
the tourists.
Moreover, Magasic, (2016) examined the fact that, social media is very useful in presently
helps in creating wide degree of opportunity which helps in the attainment of the better results
from the various customers. Consumers which helps in properly carrying various set of informed
decision. Social media is an effective platform where the large number of people focuses on
sharing the personal experience of the people who has already travelled to various destinations
across the globe.
Moreover, Narangajavana and et.al., (2017) examined the fact that, social networking giants
such as Facebook is considered to be one of the top charts in social media platforms when it
7

comes to planning or researching about a specific trend. Post which has been shared by the
friends and family members on Facebook with the help of social media platform is considered to
be way more when compared with the Google+ and Twitter. Younger tourists who are aged
between 18 years to 24 years of age are considered to be more likely influenced by the social
media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram while making travel decisions. The
social media platforms which includes videos, photographs, comments tends to largely influence
the travel plans and decision making capability of the Tourists. Various applications such as
foursquare, Facebook, Instagram, trip advisor, Twitter tends to allow tourists to provide a
platform which helps in sharing the location of the place, post photos and also check in on the
real time basis. Online reviews on social media platforms associated with accommodation and
destination tends to largely influence the decision making capability of the tourist. Subsequently,
Llodra-Riera, and et.al., (2015) argued that, The traditional approach of word of mouth
marketing is also one of the most prominent approach which helps in influencing the decision
making of the tourist. Word of mouth helps in sharing their experience with the other person
which largely influences the decision-making. Word of mouth to have positive impact associated
with the specific destination, hospitality service and accommodation of a specific place. Word of
mouth in turn is considered to be as one of the most prominent approach which helps in
effectively sharing large set of information. It also helps in gaining true facts associated with the
travel experience.
Varkaris and Neuhofer, (2017) established is view points by stating that, social media tends to
offering wide range of virtual videos which in turn is considered to be very useful in featuring
out the various key destinations which helps in catering attention of the various customers. Since
the arrival of the web 2.0, especially the emergence of social media networking platforms key
part of the tourist. Moreover tourists tends to highly rely on the internet fir better interaction with
the travel company and various other customers. Travel and tourism company which is highly
integrated with such social media platforms which tends to use it as a promotion marketing tool
helps in reaching out the existing customers as well as creating more range of prospective
customers. Almeida-Santana and Moreno-Gil, (2017) stated that, the demographic diversity of
using high degree of social media tends to put greater advantage on leveraging more leads of
tourists. Moreover, 93% of the travellers across the globe tends to state that the online reviews
on the website or social media platforms tends to have greater impact on the booking decision of
8

the travellers. However, reviews are considered to be one of the major factor which largely
influences the decision making of the tourists. Around 51% of the travellers across the globe
tends to write reviews associated with the accommodation of the trip. Around 17% of those tend
to write about the travel experience on social media platforms which in turn likely influence
various tourist across the globe.
Subsequently, Llodra-Riera, and et.al., (2015) argued that, Online platforms has the most
over the years and tends to have positive or favourable influence on the travel and tourism.
Online platforms are considered to be one of the greatest source which helps in providing large
degree of information to the tourists which largely influence their decision making related with
any travel plan. Community-based online travel sources such a stupid visor, lonely planet, make
my trip or, at Sectra tends to stand out as they are considered to be one of the most trusted source
associated with the travel information. Community-based online travel sources are considered to
be one of the major factor which largely influences the decision-making of the tourist.
Subsequently, Cheng and Edwards, (2015) argued that, Travel revuew website is considered to
be one of the most efficient platform which helps in giving large degree of information related
with the travel planning and also has in carrying out their own set of research related to the
particular destination. Social media platforms which contains information about the services
provided by the hotel such as free breakfast, room services, free lobby, free parking, etc. are
considered to be one of the top factors which largely influence the decision making process of
the travellers or tourist. Moreover, the key factors which largely influences the booking decision
of the tourist are Type of hospitality services, quality of hospitality services, price of the
accommodation, free breakfast, entertainment facilities, business Centre, gym, free Wi-Fi, etc.
are considered to be as one of the key sources which largely influence the decision making of the
tourists.
Ráthonyi and et.al., 2016) stated that, the consumer behaviour theory is mainly associated
with how the individual consumers focus on spending their money based upon the individual
preference and choice (Szmigin. and Piacentini, 2018). The consumer theory states that,
individuals tend to make choices and also take strategic decisions.
The customer service is considered to be as key direct one to one interaction between the
seller and the person who has been buying the product (do Paco, Shiel, and Alves, 2019). This is
useful in ensuring high degree of satisfaction among the consumers and leads to repeat business.
9

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
It is considered to be as the specific procedure which is useful in identifying, selecting and
analysing the information associated with the research topic. This is very useful approach
because it helps in examining the overall reliability and validity of the specific subject matter.
Research methodology is considered to be highly relevant because it helps in gaining in- depth
significant knowledge and information associated with the particular research topic.
Research methods: Research methodology is considered to be one of the most systematic
plan which helps in enabling researcher to properly structure each question and identify relevant
data associated with the research problem (Almalki, 2016). It is classified into quantitative and
qualitative research methods. The qualitative research method of the study is very useful in
getting theoretical and conceptual information associated with a specific research topic. It tends
to include textual, observation and visual analysis to gain relevant knowledge upon the subject
matter. It is useful in seeking relevant set of answers related with the how and why individuals
behave in a certain way. It is useful in gaining in- depth information related with the human
behaviour. On the contrary, quantitative research method helps in gaining statistical analysis and
numerical set of information to gain wider perspective on the specific research topic. It includes
objective measurement of the study which emphasize on the numerical and statistical analysis
which has been significantly collected with the help of surveys, polls, questionnaire, etc. It is a
systematic investigation of the key observable phenomenon with range of computational
techniques. The researcher of the study will select qualitative research methods to critically
determine the influence of social media on Tourists in the UK.
Research philosophy: Research philosophy is referred to as the belief to carry out the
study in a specific phenomenon which helps in gathering and analysing set of data in a particular
manner. It is classified into positivism and interpretivism philosophy. Interpretivism research
philosophy tends to largely emphasize on analysing qualitative set of data by interpreting various
set of elements by integrating knowledge and human interest within the specific subject matter
(Basias and Pollalis, 2018). It is also significant in interpreting the social world. It helps the
individual in shaping the society and attain relevant knowledge associated with the research
study. On the other hand positivism adheres to the factual and actual knowledge which has been
gained with the help of sensory observation such as trustworthiness and measurements. The
positivism research philosophy is very useful for the research was it helps in revealing a true
10