{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T18:42:54Z","timestamp":1778524974855,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,11]],"date-time":"2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1741651200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Tourism and Hospitality"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study explores the influence of social media on tourists\u2019 decision-making processes, focusing on Cape Verde as an emerging tourist destination. The aim is to understand how social media platforms shape tourists\u2019 perceptions and choices and how demographic factors like age and education affect the selection of information sources. A survey was conducted with 259 individuals intending to visit Cape Verde, employing a non-probability convenience sampling method. Data were analysed using chi-square tests to examine associations between age groups, education levels, and the use of social media and information sources. The results reveal significant associations between age and social media platform preference, with older tourists (44\u201379 years) favouring Facebook and younger tourists (18\u201329 years) preferring Instagram and TikTok. Additionally, education level influences the choice of information sources; higher-educated individuals are more likely to use social media and conduct independent research, while those with lower education levels tend to rely more on travel agencies and tourism fairs. These findings highlight the importance of tailored marketing strategies that account for demographic differences, offering practical insights for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to better engage with diverse tourist segments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tourhosp6010045","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,11]],"date-time":"2025-03-11T10:51:57Z","timestamp":1741690317000},"page":"45","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":23,"title":["Exploring the Influence of Social Media on Tourist Decision-Making: Insights from Cape Verde"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Wilson Semedo","family":"Martins","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3343-3155","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00e1rcio","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Transdisciplinary Research Center in Education and Development (CITeD), Centre for Tourism Research Development and Innovation, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1923-2341","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisabete Paulo","family":"Morais","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG), Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"266","article-title":"Dise\u00f1o de una propuesta de marketing tur\u00edstico para el Museo Hermano Joaqu\u00edn Li\u00e9bana Calle del Cant\u00f3n Paltas como destino tur\u00edstico: Provincia de Loja","volume":"13","author":"Abarca","year":"2020","journal-title":"Turydes: Revista Sobre Turismo y Desarrollo Local Sostenible"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"139","article-title":"Technical negotiations and phenomena: Capturing social media, and enchantment in Indonesian tourism","volume":"2023","year":"2023","journal-title":"KnE Social Sciences"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/2053168019848554","article-title":"Trends in the diffusion of misinformation on social media","volume":"6","author":"Allcott","year":"2019","journal-title":"Research & Politics"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Anas, A. 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