Social Media Marketing Activities, Destination Image, and Visiting Intention in Rural Tourism Destinations: Insights from Petung Park, Indonesia

Abstract

The increasing use of social media has transformed the marketing practices of tourism destinations, particularly in promoting attractions and engaging potential visitors. Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA) have been recognized as an important factor influencing tourists’ perceptions and behavioral intentions. However, limited attention has been given to understanding how specific dimensions of SMMA contribute to destination image and visiting intention within rural tourism destinations. This conceptual paper develops a framework explaining the relationships among Social Media Marketing Activities, Destination Image, and Visiting Intention in the context of Petung Park, Indonesia. Drawing upon the Social Media Marketing Activities framework, this study incorporates interactivity, informativeness, word of mouth, personalization, and trendiness as key dimensions influencing tourists’ perceptions and intentions. Based on previous literature, the proposed framework suggests that Social Media Marketing Activities positively influence destination image and visiting intention, while destination image further enhances visiting intention. A total of eleven propositions are developed for future empirical investigation. The proposed framework contributes to the tourism marketing literature by providing a conceptual explanation of how social media marketing activities may strengthen destination competitiveness through the development of positive destination image and increased visiting intention.