Abstract
As Generation Z emerges as a dominant demographic in international tourism, digital touchpoints—particularly social media influencers (SMIs)—play a transformative role in shaping destination perceptions and travel behaviors. This study investigates the mechanisms through which social media influencers affect the destination image and visit intentions of Gen Z travelers toward Southeast Asian destinations. Drawing upon Source Credibility Theory and Parasocial Interaction (PSI) Theory, a conceptual framework was established to evaluate the influence of influencer credibility dimensions (trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness) and parasocial relationships on both cognitive and affective destination image, as well as downstream travel intentions. A quantitative empirical survey was conducted with 428 Gen Z international travelers who actively consume travel content regarding Southeast Asian destinations (such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam). Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that influencer trustworthiness and parasocial interaction exert the strongest positive effects on affective destination image, which in turn strongly mediates travel intentions. While influencer expertise primarily reinforces cognitive destination image, affective image remains the most potent predictor of conative visit intention. These findings provide vital strategic insights for destination management organizations (DMOs) and hospitality enterprises seeking to design tailored, authentic influencer-led marketing campaigns within ongoing tourism dynamics.
