The Mediating Role of Destination Image in the Relationship Between Instagram Based Digital Content Marketing and Tourists’ Visitation Intention at Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango
Keywords:
Digital Content Marketing, Destination Image, Visitation Intention, Instagram, National Park Tourism
Abstract
This study examines the role of destination image in mediating the effect of digital content marketing on Instagram on tourists’ visitation intention at Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango. A quantitative approach with a causal correlational design was employed. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 200 respondents who had accessed the destination’s Instagram content within the past twelve months. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that digital content marketing has a significant positive effect on destination image and visitation intention. However, its direct effect on visitation intention is relatively weaker compared to its effect on destination image. Destination image has a strong positive effect on visitation intention and significantly mediates the relationship between digital content marketing and visitation intention. These findings suggest that digital content marketing primarily influences tourists’ behavioral intention through the formation of destination image. This study contributes to tourism marketing literature by highlighting the importance of perception based mechanisms in conservation based destinations.
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Wibowo, FX. S. (2015). Manajemen Kinerja. Rajawali Pers.
Aboalganam, K. M., AlFraihat, S. A., & Tarabieh, S. (2025). The impact of user-generated content on tourist visit intentions: The mediating role of destination imagery. Administrative Sciences, 15(4), 117. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15040117
Ajzen, I. (2005). Attitudes, personality, and behavior (2nd ed.). Open University Press.
Alsoud, M., Alfdool, S. M., Trawnih, A., Helalat, A., Al-Mu’ani, L., & Mahrakani, N. (2023). Social media marketing activities and tourists’ purchase intention. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 7(3), 1347–1358. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.3.004
Amorim, L. A., Sousa, B., Dias, Á., & Santos, V. (2022). Exploring the outcomes of digital marketing on historic sites’ visitor behaviour. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/jchmsd-11-2021-0202
Balai Besar Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango. (2022). Laporan kunjungan wisatawan.
Balai Besar Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango. (2025). Data kunjungan wisatawan [Instagram post].
Dwivedi, Y. K., Ismagilova, E., Hughes, D. L., Carlson, J., Filieri, R., Jacobson, J., Jain, V., Karjaluoto, H., Kefi, H., Krishen, A. S., Kumar, V., Rahman, M. M., Raman, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., Rowley, J., Salo, J., Tran, G. A., & Wang, Y. (2021). Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions. International Journal of Information Management, 59, 102168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102168
Eman, N., & Refaie, N. (2023). The effect of Instagram posts on tourists’ destination perception and visiting intention. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 31(2), 443–456. https://doi.org/10.1177/13567667231209514
Fienaurisilmi, D., Kartini, D. S., & Bintari, A. (2024). Strategi Pemerintahan dalam Pengembangan Pariwisata di Kawasan Situ Gunung melalui Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango Tahun 2024. Jurnal Ilmiah Muqoddimah, 9(4), 2271-2276. https://doi.org/10.31604/jim.v9i4.2025.2271-2276
Fitri, F. R., Februadi, A., Elisabeth, V., & Yuardani, A. M. (2023). Influence of Instagram social media marketing. Journal of Marketing Innovation, 3(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.35313/jmi.v3i2.70
Gaffar, V., Tjahjono, B., Abdullah, T., & Sukmayadi, V. (2020). Like, tag and share. Tourism Review, 77(2), 451–470. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-05-2020-0215
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R: A workbook. Springer.
Helal, E. A., Hassan, T. H., Abdelmoaty, M. A., Salem, A. E., Saleh, M. I., Helal, M. Y., Abuelnasr, M. S., Mohamoud, Y. A., Abdou, A. H., Radwan, S. H., & Szabo-Alexi, P. (2023). Exploration or exploitation of a neighborhood destination. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 16(3), 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm16030210
Kotler, P., Bowen, J. T., & Makens, J. C. (2017). Marketing for hospitality and tourism (7th ed.). Pearson.
Leung, D., Law, R., van Hoof, H., & Buhalis, D. (2019). Social media in tourism. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 36(2), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2013.750919
Li, Y., & Jiang, S. (2024). Modelling tourists’ travel intention. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(11), 8069. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i11.8069
Maarif, L. A. A., Ratnawati, K., & Hapsari, R. D. V. (2023). Authenticity and social media effect. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i4.2660
Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. MIT Press.
Murhadi, W. R. (2013). Analisis laporan keuangan. Salemba Empat.
Mutamakkinah, H. (2025). The role of online reviews. Research Horizon, 5(3), 573–586. https://doi.org/10.54518/rh.5.3.2025.602
Omeish, F., Sharabati, A.-A. A., Abuhashesh, M., Al-Haddad, S., Nasereddin, A. Y., Alghizzawi, M., & Badran, O. N. (2024). Social media influencers and destination image. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(2024), 1701–1714. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2024.2.017
Pulizzi, J., & Piper, M. (2023). Epic content marketing (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Ramdan, M. R., Musadieq, M., Yulianto, E., & Pangestuti, E. (2025). The Impact of E-WOM Social Media in Influencing Destination Image and Visit Intention in the Context of Tourism Industry: An Empirical Investigation of Social Media Enterprise Instagram Followers in Malang Raya, East Java. Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(3), 1257-1272. https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v4i3.117
Rodrigues, S., Correia, R., Gonçalves, R., Branco, F., & Martins, J. (2023). Digital marketing’s impact. Sustainability, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032683
Stylidis, D., Woosnam, K. M., & Tasci, A. D. A. (2020). Destination image: Theory and practice. CABI.
Sutrisno, R., Rafdinal, W., Septyandi, C. B., Gaffar, M. R., & Susanto, E. (2024). Disentangling digital influences on tourist behavior: The role of trust and destination image in the social media era. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Travel Management, 2(2), 129–142. https://doi.org/10.58229/jthtm.v2i2.318
Wachyuni, S. S., & Kusumaningrum, D. A. (2020). Future tourist behavior. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 33(4), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.9734/jesbs/2020/v33i430219
Wang, H., & Yan, J. (2022). Social media tourism information quality. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1049149
Wibowo, FX. S. (2015). Manajemen Kinerja. Rajawali Pers.
Published
2026-06-12
How to Cite
Fredrik, F., Wachyuni , S. S., Wibowo, F. S., & Kausar , D. R. K. (2026). The Mediating Role of Destination Image in the Relationship Between Instagram Based Digital Content Marketing and Tourists’ Visitation Intention at Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango. International Journal of Education, Vocational and Social Science , 5(03), 879-902. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.4299
Contact Person +6282139474255
Email : ijevss@citakonsultindo.or.id / editor.ijevss@gmail.com
