MODELING THE IMPACT OF TOURISM DESTINATION REPUTATION PRESENTED BY SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE TOURIST SATISFACTION

Before the appearance of user-generated content (UGC), sharing personal travel experiences through social media applications was limited to a narrow circle of friends and family. Today, tourists (social media users) exchange opinions via modern media online and shape the tourism destination reputation, thus affecting the travel decision of potential tourists. The purpose of this study is to examine the tourism destination reputation on social media and its impact on tourist satisfaction. The empirical research was conducted on the western coast of Istria (Croatia), using data from a survey of a sample of 305 tourists who were informed about the tourist destination on social media before traveling to the destination. Partial least squares were used to assess the structural model and impact of tourism destination reputation on social media on tourist satisfaction. The structural model is considered as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the impact of tourism destination reputation on social media on tourist satisfaction. The results of this study and the proposed conceptual model provide a basis for future research and for the continuous monitoring and improving of the tourism destination reputation on social media and tourist satisfaction with the elements of tourism supply.