THE ROLE OF INFLUENCER MARKETING IN ENHANCING BRAND AWARENESS OF HOTELS AND TOURISM DESTINATIONS

Abstract

This study examines the role of influencer marketing in enhancing brand awareness of hotels and tourism destinations. Using a quantitative descriptive approach, data were collected from 166 respondents who had been exposed to influencer-generated content related to hospitality and tourism. The study assessed influencer marketing through five indicators, including exposure to hotels or destinations through influencers, communication style, information credibility, visual attractiveness, and trust in recommendations. Brand awareness was measured through brand recognition, differentiation, recall, familiarity, and consideration during vacation planning. The results show that influencer marketing was perceived positively, with visual attractiveness recording the highest mean score of 4.2, followed by awareness of hotels or destinations through influencers at 4.0. In terms of brand awareness, the highest score was found for considering the brand when planning a vacation at 4.1, followed by brand familiarity at 4.0. However, trust in influencer information and brand differentiation recorded the lowest scores, both at 3.5, indicating areas that require further improvement. Overall, the findings suggest that influencer marketing can support brand exposure, recognition, familiarity, recall, and travel consideration in the hospitality and tourism context. Nevertheless, because the study relies on descriptive analysis, the results reflect consumer perceptions rather than statistically proven causal relationships. The study provides practical implications for hotel and destination marketers in selecting credible influencers and developing attractive, authentic, and differentiated content.