Role of Social Media Influencers in Promoting Green Tourism

ABSTRACT In recent years, social media influencers have emerged as powerful change agents to influence consumer behavior in various industries including tourism. Given the growing environmental concern, creating awareness for green tourism through digital channels becomes important. This study explores social media influencers' role in promoting environmentally sustainable travel behaviors in which passengers determine their understanding, perceptions, and behavioral intentions. The research investigates how influencer credibility, authenticity, and engagement affect tourist's attitudes toward sustainable tourism by synthesizing recent literature and original empirical research created during the outbreak of Covid-19. The study also examines how effective platform-specific content strategies are, and if follower engagement moderated the ability to turn environmental awareness into actual green tourism behaviors. The findings are intended to provide marketing practitioners, influencer marketers, and pol-icy makers with evidence-based suggestions and insights into strategies that would increase the visibility and adoption of sustainable tourism practices through influencer marketing campaigns. This study adds to the increasing conversation about digital sustainability marketing and advances the long-term strategic use of social media influencers to promote responsible tourism across the globe.