Different the Impact of Foreign and Local Influencers on Foreigners’ Visit Intention: The Mediating Role of FOMO and Perceived Similarity

Abstract

This study examines the promotional effectiveness of foreign and Korean social media influencers in the realm of Korean tourism. Focusing on perceived similarity, fear of missing out(FOMO), and visit intention, the research examines both foreign and local influencers carefully. The data was collected from 128 foreigner tourists and residents in South Korea. The target sample met the condition of i) be instagram users and ii) recognize and follow both foreign and local influencers on instagram. The research demonstrates that both influencer types significantly contribute to shaping foreigners’ visit intention.The findings underscore the importance of recognizing and leveraging the impact of both influencer categories(local and foreign influencers) in tourism marketing strategies. Our study found that both foreign and local influencers have a positive impact on foreigners’ visit intention. However, we did not find a direct positive impact of influencer type on the foreigners’ visit intention. This relationship is fully mediated by FOMO and perceived similarity which shows the significance of both FOMO and perceived similarity in the real of influencer marketing. In conclusion, the research suggests leveraging both foreign and local influencers to reshape destination marketing for local tourism.