Influencer Intentions and Usage of Stereotypes: travel content on Instagram for Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia

Authors

  • Weronika Bechcińska Uniwersytet Łódzki, Wydział Nauk Geograficznych https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9610-5211
  • Aleksandra Mroczek-Żulicka University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0065-4659
  • Paulina Penczewa University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences
  • Alicja Stępień University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1114-488X
  • Remigiusz Żulicki University of Lodz, Faculty of Economics and Sociology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24917/20801653.393.3

Keywords:

Instagram, intention to visit, stereotypes usage, tourism destination, travel influencers

Abstract

This study investigates how travel Instagram influencers use stereotypes in their content on Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia. By analysing posts and photos, the research examines the frequency of per- petuating or debunking stereotypes, intentions regarding visits to a destination behind these actions, and the means of presenting opinions, experiences and recommendations. The authors have applied a quantitative and qualitative content analysis to the Instagram posts and photos. The findings reveal that more than half of the posts perpetuate stereotypes, while photos show a more balanced distribution. Encouraging or dis- couraging intentions regarding visits are more common in content that perpetuates stereotypes. The study highlights the significant role of visual content in shaping audience perceptions and underscores the need for influencers to use stereotypes responsibly. The research contributes to understanding the role of social media influencers in creating the image of a destination and shaping consumer decisions in tourism services.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Weronika Bechcińska, Uniwersytet Łódzki, Wydział Nauk Geograficznych

Weronika Bechcińska, bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Recreation, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geograph- ical Sciences. A first-year master’s degree student in Sustainable Tourism at Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz. Activist of the Student Scientific Club for Tourism Geographers ‘Włóczykije’.

Aleksandra Mroczek-Żulicka, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences

Aleksandra Mroczek-Żulicka, Ph.D. in social sciences in the discipline of socioeconomic geography and spatial management, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, with a master’s degree in pedagogical sciences. Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz, tutor of the Student Scientific Club of Geographers of Tourism ‘Włóczykije’ and faculty coordinator for tutoring.

Paulina Penczewa, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences

Paulina Penczewa, a graduate of the Master’s program in Sustainable Tourism at the Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Łódź. Awarded a distinction in the nationwide ‘Teraz Polska Turystyka’ competition for a master’s thesis on overtourism and the issues of the Polish coast in the context of tourism. Long-time president of the Student Scientific Association of Tourism Geographers ‘Włóczykije’ her interests include active tourism and expanding the knowledge of archaeological, anthropological and ethnological research on local homelands.

Alicja Stępień, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences

Alicja Stępień, third-year student of Tourism and Recreation, University of Lodz, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz. She is the president of the Student Scientific Club for Geographers of Tourism ‘Włóczykije’ and is interested in mountain tourism, as well as traveling itself, learning about new places and cultures.

Remigiusz Żulicki, University of Lodz, Faculty of Economics and Sociology

Remigiusz Żulicki, Ph.D. in sociology and Assistant Professor, University of Lodz, Faculty of Economics and Sociology. He works on the social aspects of digital technologies.

References

Adamowicz, M., & Gawrońska, M. (2012). Produkt turystyczny jako wyraz tradycji i kultury regionu na przykładzie wina porto i muzyki fado - narodowych produktów turystycznych Portugalii. Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne, 5(1).

Asan, K. (2022). Measuring The Impacts of Travel Influencers On Bicycle Travellers. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(6), 978-994.

Babbie, E. R. (2021). The Practice of Social Research. Cengage: Boston, MA.

Bajgier-Kowalska, M., & Rettinger, R. (2014). Kierunki przemian regionów turystyki wypoczynkowej w warunkach kryzysu gospodarczego na przykładzie Algarve w Portugalii. Prace Komisji Geografii Przemysłu Polskiego Towarzystwa Geograficznego, (28), 23-37.

Baloglu, S. and Mangaloglu, M. (2001). Tourism Destination Images of Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Italy as Perceived by US-Based Tour Operators and Travel Agents. Tourism Management, 22, 1-9. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(00)00030-3

Baltezarević, R., Baltezarević, B., & Baltezarević, V. (2022). The Role of Travel Influencers In Sustainable Tourism Development. International Review, (3-4), 125-129.

Bender, J., Gidlow, B., & Fisher, D. (2013). National Stereotypes in Tourist Guidebooks: An Analysis Of Auto-And Hetero-Stereotypes in Different Language Guidebooks About Switzerland. Annals of Tourism Research, 40, 331-351.

Benhaida, S., Safaa, L., Perkumiené, D. (2024). Influencers and Tourism: Story of a Recent and Revolutionary Phenomenon: What Does Bibliometric Analysis Reveal. In: Berezina, K., Nixon, L., Tuomi, A. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2024. ENTER 2024. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-58839-6_43

Chen, C. C., Lai, Y. H. R., Petrick, J. F., & Lin, Y. H. (2016). Tourism Between Divided Nations: An Examination of Stereotyping On Destination Image. Tourism management, 55, 25-36. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2016.01.012.

Chen, N., & Hsu, C. H. (2021). Tourist Stereotype Content: Dimensions And Accessibility. Annals of Tourism Research, 89, 103212.

Chen, W. K., Silaban, P. H., Hutagalung, W. E., & Silalahi, A. D. K. (2023). How Instagram Influencers Contribute to Consumer Travel Decision: Insights From SEM and fsQCA. Emerging Science Journal, 7(1), 16-37.

Cichoń, P. (2016). „Podwieczorek u Berbera” – gospodarze i goście w świetle turystyki etnicznej. Antropologiczna analiza ofert biur podróży. Folia Turistica, 36, 219-240.

Cohen J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for The Behavioral Sciences , New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

de Carlo, A. F. (2008). "Polonia? Aaah Bologna!" W labiryncie stereotypów włosko-polskich i polsko-włoskich. Postscriptum Polonistyczne, 1(1), 199-206.

De Nisco, A., Mainolfi, G., Marino, V., & Napolitano, M. R. (2015). Tourism Satisfaction Effect on General Country Image, Destination Image, And Post-Visit Intentions. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 21(4), 305-317.

Femenia-Serra, F., Gretzel, U. (2020). Influencer Marketing for Tourism Destinations: Lessons from a Mature Destination. In: Neidhardt, J., Wörndl, W. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2020. Cham: Springer. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36737-4_6

Femenia-Serra, F., Gretzel, U., & Alzua-Sorzabal, A. (2022). Instagram Travel Influencers in #quarantine: Communicative Practices and Roles During COVID-19. Tourism Management, 89, 104454.

Gajić, T., Blešić, I., Petrović, M. D., Radovanović, M. M., Đoković, F., Demirović Bajrami, D., Kovačić, S., Jošanov Vrgović, I., Tretyakova, T. N., & Syromiatnikova, J. A. (2023). Stereotypes and Prejudices as (Non) Attractors for Willingness to Revisit Tourist-Spatial Hotspots in Serbia. Sustainability, 15(6), 5130. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065130

Henszke, M. L. (2011). Język i kultura Włoch–między wyobrażeniem a rzeczywistością. Italica Wratislaviensia, 2(1), 123-136.

Jagiełło, E. A. (2013). Chcecie zobaczyć prawdziwe Maroko? Lokalna kultura jako produkt w przemyśle turystycznym. Kultura i rynek, 61.

Jaya, I. P. G. I. T., & Prianthara, I. B. T. (2020, April). Role Of Social Media Influencers In Tourism Destination Image: How Does Digital Marketing Affect Purchase Intention?. In 3rd International Conference on Vocational Higher Education (ICVHE 2018) (pp. 9-20). Atlantis Press.

Jurga, M. (2017). Melancholia, tęsknota i saudade – czyli tożsamość narodowa Portugalczyków. In Żakowska M., Dąbrowska A., Parnes J.(red.), Europa swoich Europa obcych. Stereotypy, zderzenia kultur i dyskursy tożsamościowe, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.

Kapoor, P. S., Balaji, M. S., Jiang, Y., & Jebarajakirthy, C. (2022). Effectiveness of Travel Social Media Influencers: A Case of Eco-Friendly Hotels. Journal of Travel Research, 61(5), 1138-1155. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875211019469

Ksouri, R., & Abdellatif, T. (2015). Exploration of the Tourism Destination Image's Determinants on the Revisit Intention: The Case of Tunisia. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2572018 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2572018

Kuhzady, S., & Ghasemi, V. (2019). Pictorial Analysis of The Projected Destination Image: Portugal on Instagram. Tourism analysis, 24(1), 43-54.

Le Busque, B., Mingoia, J., & Litchfield, C. (2022). Slow Tourism on Instagram: An Image Content And Geotag Analysis. Tourism Recreation Research, 47(5-6), 623-630.

Li, J., Jing, S., Shang, Y., Li, A., & Cheng, M. (2024). Travel Influencers and Their Social Identity: A Phenomenological Approach. Current Issues in Tourism, 1-16.

Liu, Z., & Tung, V. W. S. (2017). The Influence of Stereotypes And Host–Tourist Interactions on Post-Travel Destination Image and Evaluations of Residents. Journal of China Tourism Research, 13(4), 321-337.

Majid, G. M. (2019, March). A Study on ‘Tourism Ambassadors’ in Indonesia Content Analysis, Instagram Accounts, and Tourism Promotion Strategy. In 2019 5th International Conference on Information Management (ICIM) (pp. 317-326). IEEE.

Malchrowicz, E. (2009). Półwysep Iberyjski–raj dla turystów kulturowych. Przegląd potencjału Hiszpanii i Portugalii dla rozwoju wybranych form turystyki kulturowej. Turystyka Kulturowa, 9, 4-26

Manthiou, A., Ulrich, I., & Kuppelwieser, V. (2024). The Travel Influencer Construct: An Empirical Exploration and Validation. Tourism Management, 101, 104858.

McKercher, B. (2008). The Roots of Stereotypes About Tourists. Society, 45, 345-347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-008-9113-5

Mele, E., Kerkhof, P., & Cantoni, L. (2021). Analyzing Cultural Tourism Promotion on Instagram: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 38(3), 326-340.

Michalczuk-Ouerghi, K. (2019). Wpływ stereotypów narodowych na wybór destynacji turystycznej przykład Tunezji. Czasopismo Geograficzne, 90(1), 60–74.

Michalczuk-Ouerghi, K., & Dłużewska, A. (2018). Wpływ terroryzmu i islamizacji na gospodarkę turystyczną Tunezji. Turystyka Kulturowa, 6, 58-79.

Michniewicz-Ankiersztajn, H., & Podgórski, Z., 2015, Fundamentalizm i radykalizm muzułmański a możliwości rozwoju turystyki. W: Dłużewska, A., Gonia, A., Michniewicz-Ankiersztajn, H., Podgórski, Z. (2015). Współczesne problemy turystyki. Bydgoszcz, Poznań: Ośrodek Sportu, Rekreacji i Edukacji w Poznaniu.

Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych. (2024). Informacje dla podróżujących do Maroka. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.pl/web/maroko/idp, access: 27.12.2024.

Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych. (2024). Informacje dla podróżujących do Portugalii. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.pl/web/portugalia/informacje-dla-podrozujacych, access: 27.12.2024.

Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych. (2024). Informacje dla podróżujących do Włoch. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.pl/web/wlochy/informacje-dla-podrozujacych-do-wloch, access: 27.12.2024.

Montenegro, M., Costa, J., Rodrigues, D., & Gomes, J. (2014). The Image of Portugal as A Tourist Destination–An International Perspective. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 6(5), 397-412.

Nelson, T. (2003). Psychologia uprzedzeń. Gdańsk: GWP.

Niemczyk A. (2016). Wielokulturowość w Aveiro w Portugalii. Własne doświadczenia z udziału w programie Erasmus. W: A. Gancarz (red.), Wielokulturowość - doświadczanie Innego (pp. 109-114). Katowice: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego

Owsianowska, S. (2014). Stereotypes in Tourist Narrative. Turystyka kulturowa, 3(1), 103-116.

Palazzo, M., Vollero, A., Vitale, P., & Siano, A. (2021). Urban And Rural Destinations on Instagram: Exploring The Influencers’ Role in #sustainabletourism. Land Use Policy, 100, 104915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104915

Pan, S., Hsu, C.H.C. (2014). Framing Tourism Destination Image: Extension of Stereotypes in and by Travel Media. In: Hanusch, F., Fürsich, E. (eds) Travel Journalism. London: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137325983_4

Pawłowska, A. (2014). Mówisz: Włochy, myślisz: mafia? Stereotyp Włocha w oczach polskich studentów. In Bogactwo językowe i kulturowe Europy w oczach Polaków i cudzoziemców 2;. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.

Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości. (2006). Przewodnik rynkowy dla przedsiębiorców. Maroko. Retrieved from: https://www.parp.gov.pl/publikacje/publication/maroko-przewodnik-rynkowy, (access: 27.12.2024).

Pop, R. A., Săplăcan, Z., Dabija, D. C., & Alt, M. A. (2021). The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Travel Decisions: The Role of Trust In Consumer Decision Journey. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(5), 823–843. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2021.1895729

RankingBlogow.pl. (2020, January). Ranking polskich influencerów podróżniczych. Retrieved from: https://rankingblogow.pl/ranking-travel-influencer, access: 07.02.2025.

Sadiqi, F. (2011). Women and the Violence of Stereotypes in Morocco. In Gender and Violence in the Middle East (pp. 221-230). Routledge.

Saini, H., Kumar, P., & Oberoi, S. (2023). Welcome To The Destination! Social Media Influencers as Cogent Determinant of Travel Decision: A Systematic Literature Review And Conceptual Framework. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1), 2240055.

Schorn, A., Vinzenz, F., & Wirth, W. (2022). Promoting Sustainability on Instagram: How Sponsorship Disclosures And Benefit Appeals Affect The Credibility Of Sinnfluencers. Young Consumers, 23(3), 345–361. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-07-2021-1355

Seçilmiş, C., Özdemir, C., & Kılıç, İ. (2022). How Travel Influencers Affect Visit Intention? The Roles of Cognitive Response, Trust, COVID-19 Fear And Confidence In Vaccine. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(17), 2789-2804.

Selmi, N., & Dornier, R. (2017). Perspectives on The Destination Image of Tunisia. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 9(5), 564-569.

Stanišić, T., Lazarević, S., & Kopeva, D. (2024). Exploring Adventure Tourism Trends Through Image Content Analysis Of Instagram Posts. Hotel and Tourism Management, 12(2).

Steenbruggen, J. G. M. (2014). Tourism Geography: Emerging Trends and Initiatives to Support Tourism in Morocco. Retrieved from: https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/1122648/2014-2.pdf (access: 27.12.2024).

Trojan, J. (2024). Znaczenie stereotypów w postrzeganiu Rumunii jako destynacji turystycznej turystów z Polski. https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/374579 [Praca magisterska].

Tse, S., & Tung, V. W. S. (2022). Understanding Residents’ Attitudes Towards Tourists: Connecting Stereotypes, Emotions and Behaviours. Tourism Management, 89, 104435.

Tse, W. T. S., & Tung, V. W. S. (2023). Assessing Explicit and Implicit Stereotypes In Tourism: Self-Reports and Implicit Association Test. In Methodological Advancements in Social Impacts of Tourism Research (pp. 78-100). Routledge.

Turnbull-Dugarte SJ. (2019). Selfies, Policies, Or Votes? Political Party Use of Instagram in The 2015 And 2016 Spanish General Elections. Social Media + Society 5(2): 1–15.

Tung, V. W. S., King, B. E. M., & Tse, S. (2020). The Tourist Stereotype Model: Positive and Negative Dimensions. Journal of Travel Research, 59(1), 37-51.

Wahba, S., El-Deeb, S., & Metry, S. (2024). The Role of Influencers and Social Comparison In Shaping Travel Intentions. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-01-2024-0042

Widz, M., & Brzezińska-Wójcik, T. (2016). Dynamika i cechy międzynarodowego ruchu turystycznego w Tunezji w latach 1960–2015. Ekonomiczne Problemy Turystyki, 35, 287-299.

Wirtualnemedia.pl. (2025, January 3). Instagram, TikTok, Facebook w Polsce: Jak korzystać z najpopularniejszych serwisów. Wirtualnemedia.pl. Retrieved from: https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/instagram-tiktok-facebook-w-polsce-jak-korzystac-najpopularniejsze-serwisy, access: 3.01.2025.

Xu, X., & Pratt, S. (2018). Social Media Influencers as Endorsers To Promote Travel Destinations: An Application Of Self-Congruence Theory To The Chinese Generation Y. Journal of travel & tourism marketing, 35(7), 958-972.

Zdon-Korzeniowska, M., & Rachwał, T. (2011). Turystyka w warunkach światowego kryzysu gospodarczego. Prace Komisji Geografii Przemysłu Polskiego Towarzystwa Geograficznego, (18), 116-128.

Żemła, M., & Woronkowicz, R. (2021). Znaczenie stereotypów w postrzeganiu atrakcyjności Nowej Huty dla odwiedzających i mieszkańców. Przedsiębiorczość - Edukacja, 17(2), 92–104. doi: https://doi.org/10.24917/20833296.172.7

Downloads

Published

2025-09-30

How to Cite

Bechcińska, W., Mroczek-Żulicka, A., Penczewa, P., Stępień, A., & Żulicki, R. (2025). Influencer Intentions and Usage of Stereotypes: travel content on Instagram for Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia. Studies of the Industrial Geography Commission of the Polish Geographical Society, 39(3), 39–60. https://doi.org/10.24917/20801653.393.3

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 3 (2025): Selected conditions for the development of tourism services

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Studies of the Industrial Geography Commission of the Polish Geographical Society

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 4.0; Attribution– NoDerivs).

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/