Using social media as a Tool for Identifying Tourist Sites and Destination "From the Perspective of Students of Tourism Colleges and Institutes"

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the degree of using social media to identify and access tourist sites and destinations by students of the Faculties of Tourism and Archaeology at the Universities of Tobruk, Omar Al-Mukhtar, and Al-Jafara, and the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hospitality in Benghazi.

The questionnaire forms were distributed, and 147 valid questionnaires were obtained for analysis using the statistical package program (SPSS-26) to analyze the study data and reach accurate scientific results. The descriptive approach was relied upon to describe the phenomenon accurately.

The results of the study showed that the level of use of social media to access tourist sites and destinations by students of colleges and higher tourism institutes is noticeably high, meaning that social media contributes to promoting tourist sites and destinations, with no statistically significant differences between the average responses of participants to their use of social media to learn about tourist sites and destinations and access them that can be attributed to gender and academic stage.

While there were statistically significant differences attributed to the university variable, one of the study's most important recommendations was to develop organized electronic plans by the state to promote tourist sites and destinations, in addition to developing an appropriate strategy by the Libyan Ministry of Tourism to maintain a balance in attracting social media users to the tourist destinations they wish to visit.