Identifying Patterns among Tourism-Oriented Online Communities on Facebook

Abstract

The proliferation of social media has transformed how people engage in communication and community building, with platforms like Facebook becoming central to connecting individuals with shared interests. Despite the extensive formation of tourism-oriented online communities on these platforms, there is a notable lack of comprehensive studies examining their structural and managerial dynamics. This study addresses this gap by systematically analyzing fifty international tourism-focused Facebook communities to develop a novel typology based on the nature and type of information shared. The research identifies significant variations in community sizes, engagement levels, and management structures, highlighting that only 6% of these communities qualify as large, with membership exceeding one million. Contrary to common assumptions, a direct link between community size and engagement was not found, with qualitative factors like community purpose and content type being more influential. A notable correlation was observed between the number of administrators and moderators and the member count, emphasizing the importance of effective community governance. The study’s findings contribute to a deeper theoretical understanding of online community dynamics and offer practical implications for tourism marketers and community managers aiming to optimize engagement strategies on social media platforms. The research sets a foundation for future exploration of the interplay between virtual community management and tourism-related discourse.