Meta-analysis of influencer marketing effectiveness in tourism and hospitality

Purpose This meta-analysis study aims to provide cumulative evidence on influencer marketing effectiveness in tourism and hospitality by generating quantitative empirical generalizations, explaining divergent findings through heterogeneity and moderator tests and advancing a sector-specific framework that clarifies the most diagnostic persuasion cues in experiential, high-risk purchase contexts. Design/methodology/approach The meta-analysis encompassed 25 studies, covering a total of 36, 908 tourists. Ten antecedents were coded into three categories: influencer attributes (trustworthiness, expertise, authenticity, attractiveness), relational factors (congruence, attachment, parasocial interaction) and message attributes (information quality, entertainment, sponsorship disclosure). Moderating effects of behavioral intention measurement, sample age and gender were tested via subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Findings Nine of ten antecedents significantly increase tourists’ behavioral intentions; only sponsorship disclosure is non-significant and highly heterogeneous. Relational factors outweigh influencer attributes, entertainment is the dominant message driver, effects are stronger for narrowly defined behavioral intention than for word-of-mouth, older cohorts show stronger responses to trustworthiness/expertise/attractiveness/information quality and no gender differences emerge. Originality/value This meta-analysis uncovers domain-specific contrasts with prior general marketing evidence, particularly regarding sponsorship disclosure and gender, where established assumptions fail to hold in the tourism and hospitality context. These findings provide a refined, evidence-based framework for advancing research and practice in this sector.