From Feeds To Beaches: Social Media Driving Coastal Tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33649/iconmths.v1i1.442Keywords:
Destination image, gen z and millennials, marine tourism, social media, tourist motivationAbstract
This study aims to analyze the impact of social media on Generation Z and Millennial tourists' motivation to visit marine tourism destinations in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta. As digital natives, these generations are particularly influenced by social media in their travel decisions, making them a crucial demographic for understanding the evolving landscape of tourism marketing. The research employs a quantitative approach with questionnaire survey. A total of 300 respondents (150 Gen Z and 150 Millennials) who have visited or plan to visit marine tourism destinations in Gunungkidul were surveyed online. Data analysis utilized SMART PLS to examine the relationships between social media engagement, destination image, and travel motivation. The findings reveal a strong positive correlation between social media engagement and the motivation to visit Gunungkidul's marine destinations among both generations. Instagram and TikTok emerged as the most influential platforms, with user-generated content and influencer collaborations playing pivotal roles in shaping destination perceptions. Interestingly, Gen Z showed a higher susceptibility to peer recommendations and viral challenges, while Millennials were more influenced by informative content and authentic travel experiences shared on social media. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of social media's role in shaping young tourists' motivations in the context of marine tourism. It also provides practical implications for destination marketers and tourism stakeholders in Gunungkidul, offering strategies to effectively leverage social media platforms to attract Gen Z and Millennial visitors
References
Arora, N., & Lata, S. (2020). YouTube channels influence on destination visit intentions: An empirical analysis on the base of information adoption model. Journal of Indian Business Research, 12(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIBR-09-2019-0269
Baggio, R. (2017). Network Science and Tourism-the state of the art. In Tourism Review (Vol. 72, Issue 1).
Budiawan, Damanik, J., Suci Sandi, W., Kuntoro, T., Widiastuti, R., & Sandi Wachyuni, S. (2021). Social Media and Millenials: Effects, Complexities, and Future Research. Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(4), 2701–2714.
Carvache-Franco, M., Alvarez-Risco, A., Carvache-Franco, W., Carvache-Franco, O., Estrada-Merino, A., & Rosen, M. A. (2021). Coastal cities seen from loyalty and their tourist motivations: A study in Lima, Peru. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111575
Carvache-Franco Mauricio Carvache-Franco Orly Carvache-Franco Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara, W. (2020). Push and Pull Motivations in A Coastal and Marine Destination: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Tourism & Hospitality, 19–31.
Clark, M., Clark, P., & Latta, M. (2019). Promoting Coastal Ecotourism To Millennials Through Social Media (Vol. 17, Issue 1).
Fistola, R., & La Rocca, R. A. (2017). Driving functions for urban sustainability: The double-edged nature of urban tourism. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 12(3), 425–434. https://doi.org/10.2495/SDP-V12-N3-425-434
Fodness, D. (1994). Measuring Tourist Motivation. Annals of Tourism Research, 21(3), 555–581.
Gai, A. M., Ekasari, S., Aglis, A. H., & Nurcholifah, I. (2024). Analysis of The Influence of Social Media Use and Social Behavior of Millennial and Z Generations on The Growth of Tourism Industry. Jurnal Sistim Informasi Dan Teknologi, 6(2), 106–110. https://doi.org/10.60083/jsisfotek.v6i2.372
Gartner, W. C. (1996). Tourism Development: Principles, Processes, and Policies. Wiley.
Giachino, C., Truant, E., & Bonadonna, A. (2020). Mountain tourism and motivation: millennial students’ seasonal preferences. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(19), 2461–2475. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1653831
Güzel, Ö., Sahin, I., & Ryan, C. (2020). Push-motivation-based emotional arousal: A research study in a coastal destination. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2020.100428
Haryono, S. (2016). Metode SEM Untuk Penelitian Manajemen AMOS LISREL PLS. PT. Indonesia Personalia Utama.
Hu, S., Liu, H., & Huang, Q. (2017). The moderating role of social media usage in the relationship among multicultural experiences, cultural intelligence, and individual creativity. Information Technology and People, 30(2), 265–281. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-04-2016-0099
Jovicic, D. Z. (2019). From the traditional understanding of tourism destination to the smart tourism destination. In Current Issues in Tourism (Vol. 22, Issue 3, pp. 276–282). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2017.1313203
Junaid, I. (2018). Pariwisata Bahari: Konsep dan Studi Kasus. Politeknik Pariwisata Makassar.
Kumar, A., & Gilitwala, B. (2019). Social Media And Its Influence On Travel Motivation And Destination’s Image Formation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, 8. www.ijstr.org
Kummitha, R. K. R., & Crutzen, N. (2017). How do we understand smart cities? An evolutionary perspective. Cities, 67, 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.04.010
Leung, D., Law, R., van Hoof, H., & Buhalis, D. (2013). Social Media in Tourism and Hospitality: A Literature Review. In Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing (Vol. 30, Issues 1–2, pp. 3–22). https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2013.750919
Mahika, E.-C. (2011). Current trends in tourist motivation. In Cactus Tourism Journal (Vol. 2, Issue 2).
Martino. (2024). Ribuan Wisatawan Padati Obyek Wisata Pantai Selatan Gunungkidul. Gunungkidul.Sorot.Co.
Morrison, A. M., & Andres Coca-Stefaniak, J. (2021). Routledge Handbook of touRism Cities. Routledge.
Nur’afifah, O., & Prihantoro, E. (2021). The Influence of Social Media on Millennial Generation about Travel Decision-Making. Jurnal The Messenger, 13(3), 238. https://doi.org/10.26623/themessenger.v13i3.2328
Savitri, C., Faddila, S. P., Iswari, R., Anam, C., Syah, S., Mulyani, R., Sihombing, R., Kismawadi, R., Pujianto, A., Mulyati, A., Astuti, Y., Adinugroho, W. C., Imanuddin, R., Kristia, A., Nuraini, M., & Tirtana, S. (2021). Statistik Multivariat Dalam Riset. www.penerbitwidina.com
Sari Rahayu, G., Kurotul Ainiah, S., Sabrina Zahra, R., Trinarita, A., Zia Soetadi, J., & Siti Najwa Zakiyah, N. (2024). Pengaruh Media Sosial Terhadap Keputusan Generasi Z Berkunjung ke Wisata Bahari (The Influence of Social Media on Generation Z’s Decision to Visit Marine Tourism). 2(1), 262–272.
Setiawan, W., & Wibawa, G. E. (2024). Generation Z and Adventure Tourism: What’s Driving Their Decisions? 14th Asia Tourism Forum 2024, 176–187.
Slivar, I., Alerić, D., & Dolenec, S. (2019). Leisure travel behavior of generation Y & Z at the destination and post-purchase. Journal of Tourism, 6(2), 147–159. http://ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/eothttp://ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/eot148
Tajpour, M., Hosseini, E., Ratten, V., Bahman-Zangi, B., & Soleymanian, S. M. (2023). The Role of Entrepreneurial Thinking Mediated by Social Media on the Sustainability of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Iran. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054518
Wang, T. Y., & Park, J. (2023). Destination Information Search in Social Media and Travel Intention of Generation Z University Students. Journal of China Tourism Research, 19(3), 570–588. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388160.2022.2101574
We Are Social. (2024). Digital 2024. We Are Social. https://wearesocial.com/id/blog/2024/01/digital-2024/
Wolf, M., Sims, J., & Yang, H. (2018). Social Media? What Social Media? UK Academy for Information Systems Conference Proceedings 2018, 3, 1–18. https://aisel.aisnet.org/ukais2018/3
Yoo, C. K., Yoon, D., & Park, E. (2018). Tourist motivation: an integral approach to destination choices. Tourism Review, 73(2), 169–185. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-04-2017-0085
