Abstract:
Social media has manifested to be a powerful form of media capable of influencing
consumer decision-making over the past few years. The increased use of social media
has also led to the development of high profile individuals who have a huge following
on different social media platforms and applications and who can influence the people
on matters of a given industry. The use of the social media influencers in the promotion
of tourism activities is evident and more widely used today. Many tourism and tourist
related business now actively use social media to drive clients to their establishments
more than ever before. This study aimed to examine the effect of social media
influencers on the decision making of domestic tourists in Kenya. The study had two
target populations, the social media users and tours and travel companies that use social
media influencers to promote their businesses. A mixed method research design was
used and the study made use of questionnaires and interviews to collect data which was
later analysed to achieve the objectives set out. The study population was drawn from
Nairobi and Kiambu Counties. Data was collected from 399 respondents through
questionnaires and 10 key informant interviews. The findings of the research indicate a
moderate relationship between source credibility and the decision-making of domestic
tourists in Kenya. Source attractiveness revealed a strong relationship with decision
making of domestic tourists in Kenya. Moreover, there is a moderate relationship
between source power and the decision-making of domestic tourists in Kenya. Finally,
there is a very strong relationship between source metrics and the decision-making of
domestic tourists in Kenya. The study further found that persuasive techniques as a
moderating variable positively influences the decision-making of domestic tourists in
Kenya. The study recommends that stakeholders should adopt an adaptive approach by
regularly monitoring the effectiveness of influencer-led campaigns and adjusting
strategies based on changing trends and audience preferences. This ensures that
campaigns remain relevant and impactful in the dynamic landscape of travel and
tourism. Since women play a leading role in making travel decisions, as revealed by this
study, tourism-related businesses—like travel agencies, hotels, and tour operators—
ought to create targeted campaigns that appeal directly to female audiences.
Additionally, tourism stakeholders should give priority to influencers who demonstrate
clear credibility and a strong connection with their audience. Finally, stakeholders
should integrate persuasive strategies into the design of their social media campaigns.
Techniques like liking, reciprocation, and social validation should be strategically
embedded within influencer content, as they play a key role in shaping audience
responses
