Virtual influencers in Tourism Marketing : Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Considerations

Abstract

AIMS OF THE PAPER: Aristotle’s Rhetorical Theory has been widely applied in the fields of communication, marketing, and advertising as a model to explore persuasion. Grounded on the three main principles of this theory - êthos, pathos, logos the current study seeks to explore the effectiveness of virtual influencers in promoting tourist destinations. METHODOLOGY: The Instagram accounts of three virtual influencers created to promote tourism in Italy, Germany, and Brittany (France) were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Instagram analytics were employed to determine the performance and audience profile, whereas the comments extracted from the Instagram posts were examined through an interpretivist thematic analysis. MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS: The analysed virtual travel influencers face several challenges in generating ethos, pathos, and logos. Regarding êthos, the greatest challenge is the lack of a bodily dimension and, consequently, the absence of practical intelligence. In terms of pathos, while their visual appeal can contribute to evoking positive emotions, their lack of expressiveness prevents a deeper connection between the influencers and their audience. Regarding logos, posts were found to contain AI-generated locations or misleading information about destinations, weakening arguments and rational appeal which is essential to effective persuasion. RECOMMENDATIONS: To enhance the persuasive potential of virtual travel influencers tourism promoters should make them more relatable by showcasing realistic scenarios and authentic locations. Additionally, increasing their expressiveness and ensuring transparency about their management and objectives can foster stronger emotional engagement. Finally, each post should be accompanied by well-curated informative content to provide logical reasons for visiting a destination.