Hotel marketing and digital influencers: influences on tourists’ perception of the accommodation activity

Abstract

In the context of technological advancement and advent of social networks, figures called digital influencers appear. They produce and post content on the internet and are capable of presenting ideas to their followers. Taking advantage of this movement, companies begins to incorporate influencer marketing as a commercial strategy, which consists of using influential people to engage consumers in a brand. Thus, the general objective of this research was to understand how digital influencers affect tourists' perception of accommodation activity. Four methodological procedures were used: bibliographic research, application of questionnaires; analysis of comments on publications by digital influencers; and analysis of results based on the theoretical framework. As a result, it was identified that through the process ‘company – influencer – customer/follower’, hotel marketing via digital influencers can establish a chain of indirect relationships that leads new consumers to discover and potentially consume the accommodation supply. Furthermore, five effects of this marketing on the perception of potential customers were identified: creation of desire to consume; dissemination of the company's image; engagement in the search for advertiser information; appreciation of social differentiation by status; and directing the tourist's gaze towards the accommodation.