The Effect of Influencer Attributes on Consumer Behavior Intention in the Hotel Industry: The Mediating Role of Mimetic Desire

In the hotel industry, influencer marketing on social media is a huge issue. This study aims to explore the influencer characteristics that affect consumer behavioral intentions in influencer marketing conducted in the hotel industry. In particular, this study contributes to the existing literature by examining influencer characteristics from the perspective of information sources and utilizing mimetic theory in quantitative research to reveal the mechanisms underlying the relation between the influencer attributes and consumer behavior intentions. To this end, the final 302 data obtained through a survey of Generation Z, the main users of the social media platform Instagram, were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Sobel's test. As a result, the influencer attributes have a positive and significant impact on consumers' intentions, and mimetic desire partially mediates the relationship. This study is meaningful as it was conducted from the perspective of hotel consumers and is one of the few studies that used mimetic desire as a quantitative variable. This study can provide guidance to other future researchers by providing empirical evidence and insights into how consumers perceive influence characteristics in real-world situations through the variable, mimetic desire. In particular, by comparing influencer attributes and their impact on consumer behavioral intention, it provides effective insights into which influencer characteristics should be considered to enhance the effectiveness of social media marketing when collaborating with influencers for hotel promotion.