Impact of social media influencer content on generation Z sustainable tourism choices

This study examines how influencer-generated content authenticity, between genuine and superficial messaging, affects sustainable travel intentions among Generation Z (Gen Z) in India. The research addresses a gap in the tourism literature by exploring how content credibility influences psychological and motivational pathways toward eco-conscious travel behavior. Grounded in an integrated theoretical model combining the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the study investigates how content authenticity impacts cognitive appraisal, motivational alignment, and behavioral intention. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 406 Indian Gen Z respondents using convenience sampling. Participants viewed curated influencer-driven sustainable travel content from Instagram and YouTube before completing the survey to ensure contextual engagement. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0 assessed direct and indirect effects among variables. Findings show that genuine influencer content (GIC) enhances pro-environmental attitudes, perceived social norms, and beliefs about accessibility, fostering self-determined sustainable travel intentions. Superficial influencer content (SIC) demonstrates a weaker impact, operating through peripheral processing routes. The findings confirm the role of message authenticity in shaping behavioral outcomes within digital sustainability discourse. The study provides insights for tourism marketers, sustainability advocates, and policymakers by highlighting the importance of authentic influencer communication in promoting sustainable travel among Gen Z. Strategies should emphasize credible messaging to enhance psychological engagement and behavioral commitment aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12. This study contributes theoretically by integrating cognitive, motivational, and communicative models within a unified framework, demonstrating content authenticity’s differentiated impact on sustainable travel behavior among digital-native consumers.