INFLUENCER POWER IN HOSPITALITY: INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND PARASOCIAL INTERACTION IN ONLINE HOTEL BOOKING

In a digital age, social media influencers (SMIs) play the role of influential actors who influence consumer behavior in the hospitality industry, more specifically in the situation of online hotel booking. This research examines the condition in which the perception of power of SMIs with attractive and expert features, especially of their informational influence, has an impact on user parasocial interaction (PSI) in online hotel booking. It builds on the Social Influence Theory to study the links between the credibility of the source of information, informational social influence, and PSI among users of social media. The implemented survey, based on a dual-channel approach, offers two methods: the gathering of data in online travel communities through Facebook and the collection in Vietnamese hotels where the online travel agencies (OTAs) have partnerships. The structural equation modeling on the sample of 739 respondents who had both followed at least one SMI and booked online hotels in the recent six months was conducted. Conclusions indicate that the SMIs play a critical role in informational trust and emotional ties, which further determine consumers’ engagement and decision-making in digital hotel bookings.