DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES OF HOMESTAYS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON TOURIST BOOKING BEHAVIOUR

This is a review paper analyzing the digital marketing approaches embraced by homestays and its impact on tourist booking behaviour. As the tourism business has been digitalized very fast, the business has moved to Airbnb and Booking.com, which offers a wider market to the homestay operators, which has increased the intensity of competition and the need to implement proper online strategies. The review provides a synthesis of the latest empirical research that has identified the effect of social media marketing, the role of search engine optimization (SEO), influencer endorsements, online reviews, and personalization based on AI on the attitudes, formation of trust, and booking intentions of tourists. There is an indication that electronic word-of-mouth in websites such as TripAdvisor, plays a major role in lowering perceived risk and increasing purchase confidence. Digital interaction, influencer marketing, and a convenient booking system make destination image and behavioral intention even stronger. The results highlight that the aspects of authenticity and quality content, as well as tailored interaction, are essential factors influencing booking choices in the rural and urban homestay settings.