The digital ecosystem and new career paths in tourism

Creators, algorithms and the new ways visibility in tourism works

In recent years, new job opportunities linked to the digital ecosystem have emerged in the tourism industry. As well as travel bloggers who produce long-form content, we have seen the rise of travel influencers who mainly focus on social media and make money from collaborations with brands and destinations.

Their reach extends into the real world. Recent studies have shown that reviews on social media and recommendations from influencers have a tangible impact on travel intentions. It marks a shift in information-sharing power dynamics, with digital players moving into the terrain of traditional media.

At the same time, new roles have taken shape on the visibility front, such as multi-platform travel content creators focusing on storytelling, and digital destination marketers, who create promotion strategies for organisations and brands. 

The role of digital nomads is not so clear-cut. Although they do not start out with promotion as their goal, they often end up serving as informal ambassadors for destinations.

All of this leads to a layered ecosystem where communication, promotion and travel storytelling tend to overlap.

Authenticity, popularity and the visibility paradox

The visibility paradox poses a real conundrum. Travel creators help to attract visitors to places that are considered less crowded and more authentic.

However, the exposure they bring can make the opposite true. Viral social media content can quickly turn out-of-the-way places into tourist hotspots and suddenly send demand soaring. There have been some recent examples of places and activities featured on Instagram and TikTok going viral almost overnight and causing unprecedented pressure.

The craving for authenticity boosts popularity, which in turn can compromise the unique qualities that made the place popular in the first place. Consequently, the challenge for destinations is no longer to pursue visibility, but to manage it.

Social platforms: the new search engines

The most significant change regards how travellers look for information. Social media are evolving from sources of inspiration into search tools for tourists.

Research has shown that the content produced by users significantly influences the choice of destinations, activities and travel services. In particular, short visual content makes people – especially those in younger age groups – more likely to want to visit places.

This means the tourism industry needs to change its approach. As well as having a digital presence, it is now necessary to know how algorithmic visibility works, selectively collaborate with creators, and tell stories that stand out in an increasingly crowded environment.