THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON CONSUMERS IN TOURISM

The development of communication and information technologies has influenced all forms of public communication and media. As a result, social media has transformed everyday communication and as well as consumer information in tourism. Social media and networking sites are essential tools for obtaining in-depth information about tourists’ offer destination. The influence of social media on consumers in tourism is constantly growing, which affects tourists’ decision-making to visit a destination and choice of accommodation facilities. The goal of this work is to determine the impact of social media on consumers when choosing accommodation facilities. The paper analyzes the views and ratings of consumers on the importance of social media in the promotion of tourism, the accuracy of information on social media, as well as the influence of digital information on the choice of accommodation facilities. The research was conducted through an online questionnaire on a random sample of respondents from Serbia. The results indicate that a high percentage of respondents are very satisfied with the information provided by social media and that they make a choice of accommodation facilities under the influence of that information. The research concludes that respondents use social media daily, that they get detailed information on social media when choosing a tourist destination and accommodation facilities, and that they do this for every trip.