Abstract
Tourism marketing has undergone significant changes in recent years, with social networks becoming central to travel inspiration and planning. Social media influencers play a key role by reaching large audiences, providing visually appealing content, and presenting experiences in a seemingly authentic manner. The present study aimed to examine how influencers shape travel inspiration and behavior in Romania and Hungary, highlighting similarities and differences between the two neighboring countries. Therefore, two non-representative, self-administered online surveys were conducted among Hungarian (N=148) and Romanian (N=112) social media users. The findings show that Generation Z and young Millennials in both countries extensively use social media for travel-related content, with Instagram emerging as the most popular platform. However, a higher proportion of Hungarian online consumers trust influencer content when making travel decisions. Influencers are also followed more regularly and more intensively in Hungary, and users display greater acceptance of the commercial nature of sponsored travel posts. In contrast, Romanian social media users exhibit more skepticism toward travel influencers, expressing stronger doubts about their authenticity and independence from advertising.