In this episode, hosted by Dr. Rami Shamsin and guest host Dr. Ryan Young, Dr. Lauren Siegel, the usual co-host, steps into the guest role to discuss her research on social media's impact on travel behaviour. Dr. Siegel discussed the concepts of Instagram tourism and social media induced tourism, exploring how social media influences travel destinations and the nuanced impacts on those locations. She shares insights from her past studies, including the role of peer influence on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and highlights the motivations and behaviors of social media induced travelers. The discussion also addresses the economic, environmental, and social impacts on local communities and businesses. The episode concludes with practical advice for travelers and destinations to mitigate negative impacts and promote more sustainable tourism practices.

If you are interested in Dr.Siegel's work, please check her recent publications:

Siegel, L. A., Tussyadiah, I., & Scarles, C. (2023). Exploring behaviors of social media-induced tourists and the use of behavioral interventions as salient destination response strategy. Journal of destination marketing & management, 27, 100765. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100765.

Siegel, L.A., Tussyadiah, I., & Scarles, C. (2022). Cyber-physical traveler performances and Instagram travel photography as ideal impression management. Current Issues in Tourism, DOI:10.1080/13683500.2022.2086451.

Siegel, L.A., Tussyadiah, I.P. and Scarles, C. (2020) Does Social Media Help or Hurt Destinations? A Qualitative Case Study, e-Review of Tourism Research (eRTR), 17(4), pp. 571-580. Link: https://ertr-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/ertr/article/view/541.

Siegel, L.A. and Wang, D. (2019) Keeping Up with the Joneses: Emergence of Travel as a Form of Social Comparison among Millennials, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 36(2), pp. 159-175. DOI: 10.1080/10548408.2018.1499579.

01:14 Dr. Lauren Siegel's Research on Social Media and Tourism

06:54 Impacts of Social Media Induced Tourism

15:55 Technological Advances and Travel Photography

26:14 Managing the Effects of Social Media Tourism

29:21 Conclusion and Future Research Directions