The effect of social media on consumers' purchasing decision for tourism

Over the years, social media has played an increasingly significant role in people's life. Nowadays especially tourists, who mostly purchase intangible products, use social media platforms as information sources in order to assure that they buy right products before they experience them. The objective of this study is to analyze how and when tourists use social media along their buying decision process in order to create a wider understanding on this subject. Also, the study aims to investigate to which extent tourists make use of social media platforms in buying decision process, and which social media platforms are more trusted as information sources and used more. The analysis of the study outcomes shows that social media affects tourists' buying decision process in different ways according to their demographic characteristics. This study confirms the emergent importance of social media marketing in tourism industry. The findings of this study also contribute important information to marketing departments of tourism businesses in order to enhance the understanding of when and how social media should be used.