Influencer Marketing in Tourism: A Study on the Role of Travel Blogs, Vlogs, and Social Media Influencers in Shaping Destination Image in India's Tricity Region

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of user-generated content (UGC) on consumer behaviour, destination perceptions, and travel intentions towards India's Tricity region, comprising Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali. It explores psychological factors, including perceived authenticity, source credibility, trust, emotional engagement, and social proof, that may shape tourists' decision-making processes. Methods: The study adopts a quantitative survey-based approach, collecting responses from individuals exposed to travel-related UGC. It examines respondents' perceptions of different content formats, including travel blogs, long-form video blogs (vlogs), and short-form videos such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, in relation to destination preferences and travel intentions. Findings: The findings indicate that respondents generally perceive authentic, experience-based UGC as more influential than conventional advertising. Different content formats serve distinct purposes: travel blogs facilitate information searching and planning, vlogs provide immersive destination experiences, and short-form videos encourage destination discovery and emotional engagement. However, self-reported perceptions indicate perceived influence rather than objectively verified behavioural change. Implications: The study highlights the importance of credible, emotionally engaging, and platform-specific UGC strategies for destination marketers. It also emphasises the need to complement self-reported perceptions with objective behavioural indicators in future research. Originality: The research contributes a destination-specific perspective on UGC-driven travel intentions by integrating psychological mechanisms and distinguishing the roles of different digital content formats within th