THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE TOURISMINDUSTRY: A CASE OF ADDIS ABABA TOURIST DESTINATION CENTRE

Abstract

This study, titled "THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE TOURISM INDUSTRY: A CASE OF ADDIS ABABA TOURIST DESTINATION CENTRE," investigated the multifaceted influence of social media on tourist attraction in Ethiopia. The main objective was to understand how various social media aspects impacted tourist decisions and contributed to the Growth of the Tourism Industry (GTI) in Ethiopia.What triggered the initiation of this research is the recognition of the transformative power of social media within the tourism sector. The Ethiopian tourism industry holds immense potential, yet a crucial gap exists in our understanding of how social media can be most effectively harnessed to attract tourist’ssurvey distributed to 365 stakeholders yielded a response rate of approximately 95.9%, with a final sample size of 350 usable responses. The analysis revealed a diverse tourist base, with a significant portion falling within the 45–54-year-old age group (44.3%) and Europe as the leading source region (28.9%). Family travel emerged as the most prominent travel style (27.1%).The study investigated the social media landscape preferred by tourists interested in Ethiopia. Facebookreigned supreme (35.7%), followed closely by Instagram (28.9%), highlighting a preference for visual platforms for travel inspiration and planning.Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between social media aspects and the Growth of the Tourism Industry. Regression analysis supported the hypotheses regarding platform selection, social media content, and frequency & timing, indicating their significant positive impact on tourist attraction.This study highlights the importance of social media for the Ethiopian tourism industry. By strategically selecting platforms, creating engaging content, and optimizing posting schedules, stakeholders can attract tourists and propel industry growth