Promoting Moroccan Heritage: Evaluating the Effectiveness of @VisitMorocco's Instagram Strategy Based on Hardjana's Communication Metrics

Abstract Social media plays a crucial role in enhancing the visibility and appeal of tourist destinations. Through platforms such as Instagram, travelers can discover new and exciting places to visit, share their experiences, and provide recommendations to their followers. This study assesses the efficacy of the Instagram account @VisitMorocco, managed by the Moroccan National Tourism Office, in promoting Morocco as a tourist destination. The analysis centers around six crucial variables, namely message content, the receiver, format, communication channel, timeliness, and message source, as per Andre Hardjana's theory on communication effectiveness. The study analyzes various metrics, such as follower growth, engagement rates, and content quality, to evaluate the page's effectiveness in achieving its communication goals. The results demonstrate a high level of success in acquiring new followers but imply a decrease in active participation and communication. Suggestions are given to improve the content's relevancy and interactivity to establish more effective communication and engagement with the audience. Keywords: Tourism promotion, social media, communication effectiveness, Instagram strategy