The power of green virtual influencers in shaping tourists’ green behavioural intentions

Kılıç İ., Gürlek M., Özdemir Gözen C., Seçilmiş C., Polat Ş.

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, ss.1-26, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09669582.2026.2749597
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Business Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Scopus, Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), ABI/INFORM, Geobase, Hospitality & Tourism Complete, Hospitality & Tourism Index, CAB Abstracts, Public Affairs Index
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-26
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study addresses a significant gap in the literature regardinggreen virtual influencers (GVIs), who are increasingly used in tour-ism marketing. This study investigated the impact of GVIs on fol-lowers’ green behavioural intentions and the mediating andmoderating mechanisms shaping this impact. To do so, the studyadopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design of twostages to address three research questions: (1) How do GVIs pro-mote green behavioural intentions? (2) Under what conditionsdoes mimetic desire towards GVIs affect green behavioural inten-tions? (3) Under what conditions do GVIs affect mimetic desire?Study 1 (n = 357) tested a quantitative research model regardingthe effects of GVIs, mimetic desire, green behavioural intention,scepticism, and eeriness. Study 2 (n = 27) used qualitative methodsto examine Study 1’s findings more deeply. Study 1 revealed thatenvironmentally friendly product-oriented influence, environmentalsustainability-oriented influence, and mimetic desire significantlyincrease tourists’ green behavioural intentions. Environmentalsustainability-oriented influence significantly affects mimetic desire,whereas environmentally friendly product-oriented influence doesnot. Study 2 revealed that GVIs provide information and foster asense of responsibility among their followers; sharing environmen-tally friendly products is motivated by monetary goals and doesnot create a desire to imitate.