The Impact of Humorous and Useful Content of Travel Influencers on Destination Visit Intention: Emphasizing Trust Transfer Theory

Mousavi, Pouya; Abbaspoor, Niloofar; Khoddami, Soheila

doi:10.22054/tms.2026.95197.3259

The Impact of Humorous and Useful Content of Travel Influencers on Destination Visit Intention: Emphasizing Trust Transfer Theory

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Pouya Mousavi ¹

Niloofar Abbaspoor ²

Soheila Khoddami ¹

¹ Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22054/tms.2026.95197.3259

Abstract

With the expansion of influencer marketing in tourism, identifying content that enhances audience trust and visit intention has become crucial. This study examined how humorous and useful travel influencer content affected destination visit intention, emphasizing trust in the influencer and trust in the destination as mediators and destination–influencer congruence as moderator. In a survey design, data from 279 followers of travel influencers with Iran-related content were collected via convenience sampling. The questionnaire adapted scales from Guo et al. (2022), Nadlifatin et al. (2022), Chen et al. (2022), Li and Zhou (2023), and Belanche et al. (2021). Variance-based SEM showed both content types positively influenced visit intention and trust in the influencer; this trust increased destination trust and subsequent visit intention. Trust in the influencer significantly mediated both content effects, while trust in the destination mediated only some relationships; congruence moderation was unsupported. Combining humorous and useful content is recommended.

Keywords

Influencer Marketing

Humorous Content

Useful Content

Trust

Destination Visit Intention

Subjects