The impact of social media branding and AI on promoting green tourism in emerging economies like Egypt

Purpose This study explores the critical role of green tourism in promoting sustainability within emerging economies, with a specific focus on Egypt. In an era where social media branding (SMB) and artificial intelligence (AI) significantly shape consumer behaviour, understanding their impact on tourist behaviour and green tourism is vital. The purpose of this research is to examine how SMB and AI adoption influence tourist behaviour and foster the growth of eco-friendly travel, highlighting the importance of green tourism as a crucial area for sustainable development in emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach The partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data gathered from 583 respondents. Findings The study’s results demonstrated the substantiable relationship between SMB and green tourism as well as between AI and green tourism. The findings also revealed the important role that SBM and AI play in promoting green tourism by increasing awareness about eco-friendly travel destinations. Research limitations/implications This study helps marketers, policymakers and governments to comprehend the vital role of social media and AI in attracting green travellers who appreciate sustainability and become more competitive in global marketing, where environmental consciousness is rising. Also, this study gave insights into relationship among factors like SMB and AI on green tourism in emerging destinations like Egypt. Originality/value This is the very first attempt to investigate the influence of SMB and AI on green tourism in emerging destinations like Egypt.