Sports Tourism in the Instagram Age: The Transformation of Visual Consumption and the Quest for Experiences
Chapter from the book:
Uluç,
E.
A.
(ed.)
2026.
New Generation Approaches in Sport 2.
Synopsis
With the proliferation of digital visual culture, sports tourism is transforming from a physically-participation-based activity area into a structure focused on visual representation and interaction. The Instagram ecosystem creates an environment where the tourism experience gains meaning through shareability and visibility, paving the way for the reconstruction of destination perception. In this process, user-generated content plays a decisive role in the formation of destination image; corporate promotional activities and individual shares together produce a collective perception structure. Social approval mechanisms and influencer culture are among the important elements influencing consumer choices; likes, comments, and interaction indicators guide decision-making processes. In parallel, sports tourism areas are transforming into spaces redesigned in line with visual aesthetics and digital visibility criteria. The tension between authenticity and representational experience is becoming more pronounced, and the experience acquires a quality that is both lived and reconstructed in the digital environment. In the final stage, algorithmic visibility stands out as a fundamental structure determining the reach of destinations on digital platforms.
