Introduction

The use of the internet, social media, mobile apps, and other digital communication
technologies has become part of daily lives of every people now (Rainie & Wellman, 2019).
The modern consumer is increasingly moving toward a more digital experience when it
comes to researching and making purchases of either a product or service. They often depend
on Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines (AYDIN, 2022). It is
vital that the companies’ work is visible during these digital searches so they can engage the
customer and work to influence their purchasing decisions by providing valuable information.
All of these digital marketing tactics work together help to deliver brand information to
consumers who are looking for products or services. The industry that does not engage in
these digital marketing strategies may be missing out on an opportunity to reach these
customers.
Tourism is a rapidly growing industry that has become increasingly competitive in the global
market place due to the advancement in Information, Communication, Transportation and
other facilities (Navickas & Malakauskaite, 2009). Marketing has reached new heights with
social media platforms. In the changing scenario of the service industry, tourism is seen to
receive the most attention from customers, stakeholders and other sectors through digital
platforms. The development of communication technology has enriched digital marketing.
As per the Indian Tourism Statistics 2019, tourists are finding themselves grappling with
situations wherein they are unable to choose their destinations or struggle to get proper
accommodation due to shortage of local information. They often get confused deciding where
to go and what to do. Lack of Information regarding local festivals, local cuisine, and local
culture is also another problem faced by tourists. Indian Tourism industry, which is using
various digital marketing tools to ensure the availability of local information and promoting
their destinations. Which in turn results in the increase of tourist footfall. Hence, this is the
right time to examine the influence of various digital marketing tools preferred by customers
of tourism products and hence the study was conducted.
Literature review
Bala and Verma (2018) in a study made a critical review of digital marketing to identify
current and future trends in marketing for India. The study found that there is a radical change
toward digitalization whereby consumers are looking and searching more on internet to find
best deals and argued that knowing which social media sites a company’s target market
utilizes is another key factor in guaranteeing that online marketing will be successful.
Suneel Kumar and Shekhar (2020) in a study on Technology and innovation: Changing
concept of rural tourism – A systematic review pointed out that although the literature is
available on rural tourism, sustainable tourism, and sustainable rural tourism, it primarily
focuses on the conceptualization, its importance, and significant hindrances in its course of
development. This study tried to establish a link between the use of technology and the
development of the rural tourism industry and that the use of technology has evolved the way
that rural tourism could be conducted. A profound conclusion that can be drawn from the
literature available is that rural tourism offers several significant advantages that can
potentially solve several problems of the economy and tourism industry.
Nicolas Gregori and Roberto Daniele (2021) in a study on Affiliate Marketing in tourism:
Determinants of Consumers’ Trust pointed out that affiliate Marketing is regarded as one of
the promising and fast growing customer acquisition tools in E-Tourism and the study aims to
identify the key variables affecting consumer trust in tourism related affiliated websites. The
study suggested that affiliates need to expose their competence and integrity to consumers
and that affiliates feature integrated booking engines need to reduce consumers’ uncertainty
by structural assurances and by providing background information on their websites.
Javier Casanoves-Boix and Monica Perez-Sanchez (2021) in a study on Digital Marketing
Management Applied to the Tourism Sector: Vueling Airlines case study identified the
variables determine digital marketing management in the airline industry of Spanish air
operator, Vueling Airlines. The study concluded that pointed out that the applicability of
digital marketing strategies to a tourism business model based on the Internet, considering the
determinant variables: (1) search engine marketing, (2) email marketing, (3) Word of Mouth
Marketing, (4) affiliate marketing, (5) blog marketing, and (6) social media marketing.
Research question
How digital marketing changing the perception of tourists towards Indian tourism industry?
Research objective
The following are the objectives set for the study:
 To analyse the influence of Websites and SEO on digital marketing among tourists.
 To assess the influence of social media on digital marketing among tourists.
 To assess the influence of Booking Apps on digital marketing among tourists.
 To assess the influence of Affiliate Marketing, Content marketing and Ads on digital
marketing among tourists.
 To analyse the influence of e-mail and messages on digital marketing among tourists.
Research gap
The missing piece or pieces in the research literature in the area that has not yet been
explored or is under-explored are examined by reviewing the past studies in the digitalization
of marketing in the globalized era during the period from 2000 to 2021. The very purpose of
the present research endeavor was to study digital marketing in tourism sector of India.
During this period many reviews are made relating to tourism sector and digital marketing in
this sector. Most of the studies are on Ayurveda tourism, health tourism, backwater tourism,
hill tourism and plantation tourism and some of the articles in abroad and India relating to
digital marketing are seen. The institutions at the Governmental and non-governmental sector
for the promotion of tourism in India is significant and the institutions attract people in and
around the world depends of how they market the products of tourism and the ways adopted
for attracting them is very crucial for its success. It is clear from the review that there are only
few studies with regard to digital marketing in tourism sector of India and hence the
researcher attempts to bridge this gap.

Research methodology
Research method
The study will use quantitative approach. In this method, primary research will be conducted.
Quantitative research includes survey in the study.
Research Area
UK population will be chosen as a research area.
Sampling technique and sample size
The study will try to reach 150 or more respondents for the survey for knowing views on
their changing perception. Random sampling technique will be selected as anyone can answer
the questions that will help in meeting the study objectives.
Data collection Procedure
In survey, Google form link will be created consist of questionnaires distributed to UK
population in the selected research area and presented in the appendix. Later, the results will
be coded through SPSS tool and presented in tabular and graphical format.
Results
The study's conclusions show that different digital marketing tactics have a big influence on
travelers' decision-making processes. Tourists' decisions are largely influenced by websites
and search engine optimization (SEO), as most travelers emphasize the significance of user-
friendly websites and search engine visibility. Social media sites were crucial, showing a
direct link between user reviews, interesting content, and travelers' choices. The report
emphasizes Booking Apps' expanding impact and shows how the travel industry is moving
toward mobile-centric tactics.
It was discovered that targeted ads and personalized content had a higher conversion rate than
affiliate marketing and content marketing, which were also found to be effective channels for
influencing travelers. Emails and messages were found to be effective tools for promoting
communication and customer loyalty, especially in the post-engagement stages.
All things considered, the findings highlight how diverse digital marketing is in influencing
traveler choices. Personalized marketing approaches, social media engagement, website
optimization, and other strategies must all be integrated to effectively reach and influence
today's travelers. For companies and destination marketers looking to improve their online
presence and meet the changing needs of today's tech-savvy travelers, these insights offer
insightful advice.
Practical and ethical issues
Researchers run into both practical and ethical problems when conducting surveys, which call
for careful thought. Practical problems could include complicated survey designs and bias in
sampling. It can be difficult to obtain a representative sample, particularly if some
demographic groups are underrepresented and could distort the findings. Inadequate survey
design can also result in biased or unclear answers, which would undermine the study's
overall validity.
In order to protect participants' rights and well-being, survey research must prioritize ethical
considerations. Important ethical guidelines dictate that before participants consent to
participate in a study, researchers must fully inform them of the goals, methods, and potential
risks. This is known as informed consent. Another ethical consideration is privacy, and
researchers need to take precautions to protect participant confidentiality and personal data.
Anonymity, when feasible, should be prioritized to minimize the risk of unintended
consequences for participants.
In addition, researchers need to manage concerns regarding undue influence and coercion to
guarantee that participants engage voluntarily and freely without feeling forced to do so. It is
imperative that researchers report survey results in a transparent manner, taking care to
convey findings truthfully and refraining from selective or deceptive reporting. Keeping
survey research credible and ethical requires striking a balance between pragmatic concerns
and moral precepts.
Plan or timeline

References
 AYDIN, S. (2022). THE EFFECTS OF DIGITAL MARKETING ON CUSTOMERS
IN THE DIGITAL AGE AND THE ACCELERATION OF DIGITAL MARKETING
STRATEGIES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. Research & Reviews in Social, Human
and Administrative Sciences.
 Bala, M. and Verma, D. (2018), “A critical review of digital marketing”, International
Journal of Management, IT and Engineering, Vol. 8 No. 10, pp. 321-339
 Javier Casanoves-Boix and Monica Perez-Sanchez: Digital Marketing Management
Applied to the Tourism Sector : Vueling Airlines case study, Journal of Tourism and
Heritage Research, Vol 4 , No 2, Pp 9-30, 2021.
 Navickas, V., & Malakauskaite, A. (2009). The possibilities for the identification and
evaluation of tourism sector competitiveness factors. Engineering economics, 61(1).
 Nicolas Gregori and Roberto Daniele: Affiliate Marketing in tourism: Determinants of
Consumers’ Trust , Conference paper, Proceedings of the International Conference in
Innsbruck, Austria , 2021
 Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2019). The Internet in daily life. Moments in the
Development of the Internet, 27.
 Suneel Kumar and Shekhar: Technology and innovation: Changing concept of rural
tourism – A systematic review, De Gruyter | Published online: August 23, 2020, Vol
12, Issue 1.