THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA ON MOTIVATING YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE DOMESTIC TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of digital transformation and social media, with a particular focus on TikTok and Instagram, on the creation of tourism demand among Generation Z, in North Macedonia. The study analyzes the shift from mass to alternative and rural tourism, while determining the role of short video formats and user-generated content (UGC) in motivating young people to explore domestic touristic destinations. For the purposes of the paper, an online survey was conducted on respondents aged from 18 to 26. The results indicate that visual content, especially short videos, has a dominant influence on travel decisions, while text sources have a significantly smaller role. In addition, the strong influence of digital recommendations and the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) effect among young people is confirmed. We can conclude that the tourism sector needs to adapt its marketing strategies towards visual and authentic digital content to harness the potential for the development of domestic tourism.