Renata Seweryn,

Cracow University of Economics,
Cracow, Poland,
E-mail: renata.seweryn@uek.krakow.pl

The Role of Social Media in an Assessment of the Factors of a Tourist Des-tinations Success. A case study of Cracow

Agata Niemczyk,

Cracow University of Economics,

Cracow, Poland,
E-mail:

agata.niemczyk@uek.krakow.pl

Krzysztof Firlej,

Cracow University of Economics,
Cracow, Poland,
E-mail: krzysztof.firlej@uek.krakow.pl

Abstract. The aim of the article is to verify the thesis that the social media as a source of information and promotion affect an economic success of a tourist destination. Path modelling allowes to prove that although the social media do not directly influence an economic success of a destination, their role reveales in an indirect effect by an organization of a tourist’s stay. Therefore a function of the social media becomes important in such aspects as the length of a stay, a place of accommodation, the number of persons accompanying in a travel and the use of a tour guide services. The biggest influence on the organization of a stay has the first variable that is the length of a stay. To conclude, a well planned offer of products will decide about the duration of a stay, thus guests expenses which will translate into an economic success of a destination.

Received: December, 2016

1st Revision: March, 2017

Accepted: June, 2017

DOI: 10.14254/2071- 789X.2017/10-2/19

JEL Classification: L82, D1, C55, Z30

Keywords: social media, path modelling, accommodation, companionship, tour guide services.