Analyzing the Influence of Commercial Partnerships on the Authenticity of Tourism Content Created by Influencers

Ivana Ercegovac – Higher Colleges of Technology, Faculty of Applied Media, FJF, UAE

Mirjana Tankosić – University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Faculty of Social Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract: With digital platforms like YouTube increasingly shaping travel choices, influencers play a valuable role in promoting destinations. However, as influenc­ers engage in sponsorships and paid collaborations, questions arise about the impact of commercial interests on the authenticity of their content. The study employs a qualitative content analysis of 30 videos created by five prominent tourism influencers on YouTube. The analysis focuses on key elements such as personal storytelling, sponsorship disclosure, brand alignment, and audience engagement. The findings reveal that influencers adopt subtle strategies to blend personal experiences with brand promotions, often using storytelling techniques and transparent sponsorship disclosures to maintain credibility. The study identifies key factors that influence audience perceptions of authenticity, such as alignment between the influencer’s personal brand and the sponsored content. These insights offer valuable implications for tourism marketing, high­lighting how influencer-driven content affects consumer behavior and destination branding. The research provides actionable guidance for influencers, tourism boards, and marketers aiming to balance authenticity with commercial demands in an increasingly commercialized digital environment.

8th International Scientific Conference on Recent Advances in Information Technology, Tourism, Economics, Management and Agriculture – ITEMA 2024 – Selected Papers, Hybrid (Zayed University, Dubai, UAE), October 24, 2024

ITEMA Selected Papers published by: Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans – Belgrade, Serbia

ITEMA conference partners: Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor, Slovenia; Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb, Varaždin; Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Marketing, Poznan University of Economics and Business, Poland; Faculty of Agriculture, Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine ”King Michael I of Romania”, Romania

ITEMA Conference 2024 Selected Papers: ISBN 978-86-80194-90-5, ISSN 2683-5991, DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ITEMA.S.P.2024

Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission.