Demographic Influences on Social Media Use Across Tourist Lifecycle Phases

Abstract

Social media has evolved into a vital tool for tourists looking to not just plan their next vacation but also to use it during their holiday and post vacation. The purpose of this study is to understand the influences of critical demographic variables such as age and gender on the intention to use Social media platforms across the three phases of the tourist life cycle, Pre-trip, In-Trip and Post-trip. About 600 respondents, including both domestic and international tourists visiting the state of Kerala, India were surveyed. The findings of the study indicate that while gender has minimal influence on which Social media platforms are being used, it is younger tourists who are prolific users of various Social media tools. Knowledge and understanding of the specific Social media platforms that are utilized by travellers across the Tourist life cycle will enable destination marketing organizations and other tourism providers to engage tourists more proficiently using appropriate Social media tools.

Keywords: Tourist Lifecycle, Social Media, Tourist Demographics, Tourism, Vacation Trips

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