Impact of Digital Marketing on Consumer Travel and Destination Decisions with Special Reference to Behaviour Changes, Platform-Specific, Emerging Technologies and Engagement Metrics

Abstract

This comprehensive review assesses the transformative impact of digital marketing on consumer travel and destination choices, drawing on the findings from 24 studies across prominent databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, and Google Scholar. With 74% of travellers depending on social media for their search, it highlighted the importance of social media in shaping travel preferences. Around 52% of destination choices are driven by peer-shared visual information, while real-time booking tools speed up the decision processes by 38%. Psychological factors, such as social proof, FOMO (fear of missing out), self-congruity, and trust formation, significantly impacted the destination selection. Short-form video content motivated 73% of travel judgments, and influencer campaigns combined with hashtags increased the destination searches by 89%. Good ratings on sites like Google and Facebook improved reservations by 57%.  By 112% and 39%, emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR) filters and artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots enhanced user engagement and streamlined pre-booking processes. The effective strategies emphasised content quality optimisation, micro-influencer collaborations, and data-driven personalisation to maximise engagement. This study highlighted the transformative power of digital marketing in tourism, emphasising authenticity, personalisation, and technological innovation as key drivers for success in the sector.