The influence of user-generated content and social media travel influencers credibility on the visit intention of Generation Z

Literature has revealed that user-generated content (UGC) and social media travel influencers (SMIs) are among the main factors influencing tourists of Generation Z's (born 1997–2012) intention to visit a destination. Unfortunately, there is a large proportion of unreliable and fake content due to the low publishing barriers on social media platforms. However, limited research has been conducted to investigate how the credibility of travel influencers and user-generated content posted on social media platforms impact the visit intention of Gen Z in developing countries. To fill this literature gap, we conducted an empirical study to investigate the impact of user-generated content and social media travel influencers' credibility on Gen Z's visit intention to the Egyptian tourism destination. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was distributed among youth from Generation Z. Results indicated that both user-generated content and influencers' credibility dimensions have a significant impact on Gen Z visit intention. However, Egyptian Gen Z considers UGC more credible than SMIs when they intend to travel.

The study recommends that tourism managers should partner with experienced, highly trusted influencers who deliver attractive content to their followers. As well as making use of the positive reviews of consumers by encouraging them to post their actual experiences on different platforms, managers also need to respond professionally to negative or fake reviews.