EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN TOURISM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55640/Keywords:
Social media marketing, tourism, destination marketing, user-generated content, electronic word of mouth, digital marketing effectiveness.Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of social media marketing in the tourism industry by comparing global best practices with Uzbekistan's emerging digital tourism landscape. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining systematic literature review with empirical data analysis, this research investigates the impact of social media platforms on tourist behaviour, destination image formation, and marketing return on investment. The findings reveal that social media marketing significantly influences travel decision-making across all stages of the tourist journey, with 89% of global travellers utilising social media for travel inspiration and over 60% converting social media exposure into actual bookings. Platform-specific analysis shows that Tik&Tok achieves the highest engagement rate (7.43%) for tourism content, while Instagram maintains dominance in destination imagery. Comparative analysis between developed markets and Uzbekistan reveals both convergent trends and distinctive characteristics, with Uzbekistan's tourism sector experiencing 40% increases in website traffic following digital marketing optimisation, yet facing unique challenges related to platform preferences (Telegram dominance at 95%) and lower social media penetration (24.6%). The study contributes theoretical insights through an integrated framework combining S-O-R theory, Technology Acceptance Model, and Social Network Theory, while offering practical recommendations for tourism marketers in emerging destinations.
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