The contribution of social media influencers to sustainable travel behaviour: the mediating role of inspiration and involvement in sustainable travel practices

Purpose The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the perceived influence of social media influencers (SMIs) on inspiration towards sustainability, involvement in sustainable travel practices and sustainable behaviour of travellers. Furthermore, the current study investigates the mediating role of inspiration towards sustainability and involvement in sustainable travel practices based on persuasion theory and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory. Design/methodology/approach The study employs purposive sampling and collects data from 242 Chinese tourists who viewed SMIs’ travel content on platforms like Bilibili, Douyin, WeChat and Weibo. Structural equation modelling was utilised to evaluate the direct and indirect associations between the variables. Findings The current study results confirm that the perceived influence of SMIs positively influences travellers’ inspiration towards sustainability, involvement in sustainable travel practices and sustainable travel behaviour. The study demonstrates that inspiration towards sustainability and involvement in sustainable travel practices significantly mediate the effect of SMIs on sustainable behaviour. Social implications Policymakers, tourism groups and SMIs can all benefit from the results of the present study. Strategic partnerships between SMIs and sustainable enterprises can help spread the word about sustainable travel alternatives and encourage more environmentally conscious vacations. Furthermore, sustainable travel practices can be promoted, and environmental awareness can be increased through well-executed media campaigns on the Internet. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing body of tourism literature by offering a comprehensive understanding of how SMIs influence sustainable behaviour. It provides a holistic insight on the role of SMIs in promoting sustainability, thereby contributing to research gaps in current studies. The research offers significant insights for tourism marketers and policymakers on leveraging SMIs to promote sustainable travel practices.