Purpose: This study examines how social media–based destination image, user-generated content (UGC) credibility, influencer marketing credibility, and planning orientation influence international destination choice among South Asian travelers. The research provides critical insights into how digital narratives and visual storytelling shape the attractiveness and competitiveness of international tourism destinations from the perspective of emerging market travelers. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 300 respondents who had traveled internationally for leisure and were active social media users. The conceptual framework draws on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis to identify the key digital drivers of destination selection. Findings: Regression results indicate that social media–based destination image was the strongest predictor of destination choice (β = 0.358, p < 0.001), followed by influencer marketing credibility (β = 0.276, p < 0.001). User-generated content credibility (β = 0.144, p = 0.005) and planning orientation (β = 0.191, p < 0.001) also demonstrated significant positive effects. The results underscore that perceived authenticity and visual appeal on social media play a critical role in shaping international destination choice among South Asian travelers. Research limitations/implications: While the study focuses on a specific geographic cohort (predominantly Pakistan and India), it highlights the universal importance of digital trust. Future research could extend these findings by comparing different types of destinations or employing longitudinal designs to track the evolving impact of AI-generated travel content. Practical implications: The findings demonstrate the dominant role of visually driven destination image in shaping travel decisions. Tourism marketers and destination planners should prioritize high-quality visual branding and foster strategic partnerships with credible digital influencers. Furthermore, cities should curate digital information that accommodates the structured planning tendencies of South Asian travelers to enhance visitor conversion rates. Originality/value: This study contributes to tourism literature by providing an integrated examination of multiple social media factors within the South Asian context. It uniquely bridges the gap between digital marketing credibility and individual psychological traits such as planning orientation, offering a nuanced perspective on how digital ecosystems influence the socio-economic vitality of tourism destinations.
Al-Yousufi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.