Influencer marketing in the tourism industry: A systematic review of theories, methods, and findings

Purpose- The purpose of this study is to analyse the behavioural results influenced by social media influencers in influencing tourist decision-making, identify dominant theoretical and methodological methods, and extensively investigate how influencer marketing has been utilised within the tourism sector. Methodology- Using the PRISMA approach, a systematic review of the literature was carried out, screening publications from 2010 to 2025 that were indexed in Web of Science and Scopus. 32 research publications that were closely related to influencer marketing in tourism were chosen for in-depth analysis following the identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion stages.Findings- The findings show that while influencer marketing has developed into an effective form of communication for a number of organisations, scholarly research on it in the tourism sector is still few and methodologically inconsistent. The results show that the most important factors impacting travel intention, destination loyalty, word-of-mouth, and experience sharing are credibility, authenticity, emotional engagement, parasocial interaction, and influencer–destination fit.  Though there is limited scholarly consistency, emerging themes including virtual influencers, platform-specific content forms, ethical promotion, and green tourism messaging also emerge. The study reaches the conclusion that when influencer marketing is effectively matched with audience demands, destination branding, and emotionally compelling narrative, it greatly influences tourism behaviour. However, contextual differences and theoretical variance point to the necessity for further cross-regional comparative research and integrative frameworks.Originality/Value- This research enhances tourism understanding by outlining how influencer-based destination promotion has developed over the past decade, emphasising significant gaps that remain in the theoretical and empirical understanding of this area and outlining priorities for future scholarly investigation. Additionally, by offering advice on how to create data-driven influencer collaborations that can improve destination attractiveness, increase audience engagement, and foster more responsible and long-term tourist behaviour, the study provides tourism experts with useful information.