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The study identified 80 indicators of visual self-presentation in travel selfies, including background, pose, style, emotional expression, and appearance.
Based on this, ten digital archetypes were identified that describe the typical presentation strategies of travelers.
The new model shows that tourists do not fit into rigid categories, but rather flexibly combine different strategies depending on the situation.
The focus is shifting from the travel destination to the presentation of one's own digital "self," while at the same time challenging traditional stereotypes about aging.
Abstract of this study
The study examines the self-presentation strategies used by tourists in travel selfies on social media. A total of 80 indicators were identified across 13 core attributes of visual self-presentation, including background, composition, and perspective; style and aesthetics; emotional and facial expressions; and appearance.
Using archetype analysis, ten self-presentation strategies were identified:
- Exploratory Reflection
- Revelation of Privacy
- Tasteful Optimism
- New Horizons
- Discovery of Style
- Confident Mobility
- Graceful Liberation
- Visionary Wisdom
- Urban Joy
- Natural Bliss
These strategies embody different characteristics, motivations, and behaviors related to self-expression. The study expands the theoretical understanding of approaches to tourist segmentation and offers action-oriented guidance for tourism marketing to align services and offerings with tourists’ self-presentation, rather than simply categorizing them into rigid, predefined categories.
Key findings of this study
- Identification of 80 visual indicators: The study identified 80 indicators across 13 attributes within five core dimensions of visual self-presentation in travel selfies.
- Development of ten digital archetypes: Using archetype analysis, ten specific visual self-presentation strategies were identified that reflect the diverse motivations and behaviors of travelers.
- Introduction of a flexible mixed-membership segmentation: The developed model shows that tourists do not fit into closed, rigid categories but rather flexibly combine different self-presentation strategies depending on the situation and the image.
- Shift in focus from the travel destination to the digital self: In photos, the travel destination often serves merely as a secondary backdrop or prop, which confirms the “attraction shading” effect and illustrates the shift from the traditional tourist’s perspective toward the staging of one’s own digital identity.
- Challenging age stereotypes: The findings challenge classic age-related stereotypes, as older travelers deliberately use the digital environment to embody rebellious, courageous, and individual identities.
- Practical Guidelines for Tourism Marketing: Rather than rigidly categorizing people, the study provides concrete approaches for designing offerings, spaces, and marketing campaigns that are tailored to tourists’ needs for visual self-expression.