The effects of Instagram on young foreigners vacation choices in Asian countries

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to understand more deeply how social media, especially Instagram influences the destination choice and how young travelers react to an Instagram post. This research is profitable for marketers to know how to use Instagram for promoting their business. The aim is also to understand if travelers are satisfied with what they expected and to suggest for further research on “How trustworthy Instagram is”. The theoretical framework consists of visual communication, Instagram in the context of tourism and traveling and consumer behavior in tourism. The theory is based on literature review and analyzing Instagram accounts. The research conducted was based on qualitative data analysis. Interviews were conducted in English with open questions focused on young foreigners’ use of Instagram as a travel inspiration platform. Each interview lasted 45-60 minutes. Interviewees were chosen randomly, however, they were selected from different nationalities to avoid bias. The interview was mainly about people using Instagram for their source of inspiration for traveling to Asian countries. The result shows that social media plays an important role in today’s customer life. Instagram, specifically, has affected the decision-making process of travelers when they search for inspiration for their next trip. The platform is not only the biggest but also one of the most successful platforms for promoting the destination and tourist attractions. Moreover, the research also shows that young travelers, generation X are the most active and they are the main target that goes under the influences of social media, Instagram when it comes to traveling.