1Every year since 1927, the Time Magazine has named The Person of the Year, a person who marked the year that has just passed. In 2006, the magazine declared that the person of the year was You, or rather us - millions of users who generate content every day on Web 2.0, more particularly on social media such as Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. These platforms are transforming the information age by offering users the possibility of feeding into them. This new importance given to the user marks a turning point in the field of research, but also for organisations finding themselves obliged to adapt their communication to this emerging parameter. While with Web 1.0 the user was considered a reader or a passive consumer, with Web 2.0 the user now has many possibilities available, such as giving opinions, exchanging with other users, and generating content. This content, mainly distributed on the Internet and created by the general public rather than by paid professionals, has been given the name user-generated content (Daugherty et al., 2008, p. 16).
2The Swiss National Tourist Board, named Switzerland Tourism, seems to have understood the importance of user-generated content and its potential advantages in the field of tourism since it re-shares, several times a week, on its Instagram account the images of users who have used the hashtag #inLOVEwithSWITERLAND or the tag @myswitzerland. This strategy has several advantages, the main one being a very low cost for Switzerland Tourism. If the use of content created by users constitutes a certain financial advantage, how do the users perceive this strategy? The results presented in this article come from an online survey conducted in spring 2021 among Swiss Instagram users, supplemented by 6 semi-structured interviews.
3User-generated content has become a regular topic of research in recent years and many studies have analysed how social media is used to promote tourism destinations or businesses (Leung et al., 2013). However, several aspects still deserve to be explored in greater depth, such as the impact of this content on the image of the destination (Iglesias-Sánchez et al., 2020) or the influence of this content on other users (Zhang et al, 2021). Furthermore, there is little knowledge about the perception of the use of user content by the organisations themselves. In the remainder of this article, we return to the literature relating to our research question - we try to understand the reasons which led to the forming of a third party in the relationship between tourists and tourist companies, and explore the different advantages of user-generated content. We continue with the description of the methodology before presenting our main results. We continue with the discussion allowing us to link the results obtained with the existing literature and end with the conclusion and limitations of the study.
4For several years, Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) have invested in digital technologies and more particularly social media (Mariani, 2020). Although these technologies have required DMOs to be resilient and adapt the way they communicate, digital social networks have also brought their share of advantages with facilitated and rapid two-way interaction between stakeholders, their low costs, and their global reach (Hays et al., 2013). This facilitated interactivity has, however, complicated and modified the relationships between supply and demand actors. Whereas previously “the customer spoke to a travel agent who fulfilled his function as an intermediary by making the requested reservations or by contacting the producers of tourist services, [...] today each actor, including the final user, can put themselves in contact with all others” (Alexandre-Bourhis et al., 2013, p. 7; author’s translation from French), making it easier for travellers to find information about a destination. However, they find themselves faced with an infinite choice regarding their next destination. DMOs must therefore implement effective strategies in order to promote a destination's resources (Pike, 2008) and stand out from other destinations.
5One of the strategies used by DMOs is to use influencers. At the end of the 20th century, following studies on information asymmetry (Akerlof, 1970), Hatchuel (1995) developed the concept of shopping prescribers to guide buyers' choices between different suppliers. Here a third party regulates the buyer-supplier relationship by providing different types of knowledge. In the era of social media, this prescriber function is now performed by new digital actors, particularly influencers (Oudrhiri Safiani and El Hassouni, 2021). DMOs and tourism companies are increasingly interested in recruiting influencers to encourage tourists' purchase intentions (Chen et al. 2023). According to Chen et al. (2023), these influencers represent important marketing tools because they help develop a sense of proximity, inform consumers about the destination, and strengthen their trust. Indeed, influencers rely on narrative content, often presented in the form of videos or images, which helps captivate their audience (Atiq et al., 2022). This approach promotes a form of communication perceived as more authentic than traditional advertising messages, because it is based on the feeling of “knowing” the influencer, which increases their receptiveness to their recommendations (Sheng et al., 2024). Furthermore, micro-influencers are often considered more credible than celebrities, because they seem closer to the daily lives of their audience, which strengthens the trust and persuasive effectiveness of their messages (De Veirman et al., 2017).
6However, this new relationship between the buyer and a third party only works if both pursue the same interests (Hatchuel, 1995). Conversely, it becomes problematic if the goals diverge, for example if the influencer goes against their own ethos by promoting a destination to which they would not return. Indeed, when the promotion of a destination is motivated solely by commercial interests, the content can appear biased or even misleading to consumers (Gamage and Ashill, 2022). This phenomenon is all the more worrying since the line between sponsored content, i.e., paid for or supported by a brand or organisation, and authentic content, created spontaneously, is often blurred on social networks. The perceived credibility of the influencer and the authenticity of the content therefore play a crucial role in the effectiveness of the recommendation (Audrezet et al., 2018). Therefore, DMOs must ensure that they select influencers whose values and practices are aligned with those of the destination, in order to avoid a misalignment of interests that could harm the tourist image.
7In tourism sector, influencers are not the only ones producing content. Local residents or tourists themselves also produce content, without receiving a direct benefit or financial compensation. Thus, the use of social media by DMOs has allowed for a change of role of regional citizens in the promotion of the destination. They have the opportunity to give their opinion, but above all to share information and photographs representing their region, thus participating in the co-construction of the destination's image (Lund, 2020). For DMOs, making residents ambassadors of the region has several advantages, including the possibility of using the photographs they have uploaded to renew the stock of images for free while keeping in rhythm with current standards and tastes (Bernadou, 2017). In addition, these images have a greater reach and generate more engagement among other users (Iglesias-Sánchez et al., 2020). Switzerland Tourism seems to have understood the importance of the residents in promoting Switzerland. Although Switzerland Tourism also produces content, a large part of its social networks is fuelled by the content of users, often ordinary people, who have used the hashtag #inLOVEwithSWITZERLAND or have tagged (@) the account. The content shared by these users therefore fully contributes to the promotion of the country and each Internet user can become, consciously or not, an ambassador of Switzerland by contributing to its tourism promotion (Jammet and Linder, 2019). The clear advantage of this strategy remains, firstly, much lower costs than those of a promotional campaign and, secondly, "the use of productions from ordinary Internet users relies on the sincerity of this form of promotion, commonly associated with greater credibility than traditional advertising" (Jammet and Linder, 2019, p. 10; author’s translation from French).
8Content produced on social media by tourists or locals is called user-generated content. User-generated content, also known as UGC or user-created content, refers to any form of online content generated by users of a platform such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Wikipedia, or personal websites (Fatanti and Suyagnya, 2015). With photographs, videos, comments, reviews, and blogs, UGC has grown rapidly over the past two decades and now represents a large portion of the internet. This content contributes to tourist appeal and the creation of a destination brand (Iglesias-Sánchez et al., 2020). One of the characteristics of UGC is that its production is voluntary and occurs outside of a professional setting. Terms such as amateurs, unpaid workers, and volunteers are often applied to social media contributors (van Dijck, 2009). These terms contrast with the terms professionals, experts, and employees commonly attributed to people producing content for traditional media (van Dijck, 2009).
9As for the subject matter of UGC, the content can very much be about companies or brands. Information transmitted via Web 2.0 and social media about a product or service by potential, current, or former customers is primarily referred to as electronic word-of-mouth, or eWOM (Kim and Johnson, 2016). This type of content is often perceived positively. This perception is influenced by the evaluation of the quality, value, and usefulness of the content, as well as the perceived credibility of the source (Geng and Chen, 2021). Thus, content considered authentic or sincere may have a stronger impact than an advertising message, even if the content and information itself is similar. In line with traditional word-of-mouth, research has shown that customers assign greater credibility, empathy, and relevance to eWOM than to marketing information sources (Gruen et al., 2006). The credibility given to this information is explained in particular by the source of information being integrated into the consumer's personal network and therefore deemed trustworthy (Kim and Johnson, 2016), as well as by the fact that the source has no personal interest and will therefore offer honest advice (Burgess et al., 2009). There are two types of sources: strong-tie sources, for example friends, family or relatives, and weak-tie sources, which are acquaintances or strangers. Both are considered reliable sources of information (Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019). These findings are also valid in the tourism sector where eWOM is perceived as more honest than information from tourism organisations. Indeed, the production of UGC “has gained significant popularity, and unlike the images projected by advertising and marketing, the content created on these platforms reflects the travellers’ perceptions and would therefore further shape the perceptions and representations of a territory in the unconscious of individuals” (Christofle et al., 2019, p. 217; author’s translation from French). This perception of UGC plays a central role in the decision-making process of travellers, particularly with regard to the choice of destination (Aboalganam et al., 2025). Studies have also shown that UGC is more appreciated than marketing content and that users turn more towards the publications, opinions and photographs of other travellers when planning their trips (Tsiakali, 2018). Given its proliferation on social media and the credibility it is given, UGC has great potential for tourism organisations because, on the one hand, it is inexpensive and, on the other hand, it can reach a global market by spreading quickly.
10Finally, knowing that content production is time-consuming and that users do not necessarily receive financial compensation, we can question the reasons that lead them to produce content. Several studies have already identified the elements that motivate users to invest time and effort in producing content. First, some platforms are designed to encourage publication, for example, when they allow users to develop a reputation. This reputation can be built either by earning rewards on the platform or through peers who evaluate contributions - for example with likes (Luca, 2015). Another source of motivation is linked to users' beliefs about the impact and quality of their contributions. When it comes to impact, the motivation to contribute increases with the size of the audience. As for quality, one study showed that Wikipedia users were less likely to contribute after their previous content had been edited or corrected (Luca, 2015). Other motivations are more intrinsic to the user, regardless of platform characteristics. According to van Dijck (2009), these motivations can be placed into three groups: entertainment, career, and family. Entertainment-oriented users are much more likely to participate in content creation. They are attracted to and by novelty. Career-motivated users are characterised by their professional aspirations. Many amateurs take pride in developing their skills and dream of turning their hobby into a profession. Finally, some users produce UGC because they are passionate about and enjoy creating content, such as amateur videos, for a small circle of family members and friends (van Dijck, 2009).
11For data collection, we conducted an online questionnaire, supplemented by semi-structured interviews, in order to analyse perceptions of user-generated content use. Our study focused on all Instagram users residing in Switzerland. The sample was a convenience sample. To ensure that the respondents corresponded to the population group we wished to analyse, we checked for the presence of two variables: users had to be resident in Switzerland and use the social network Instagram.
12The questionnaire was available in the two most widely spoken national languages, German and French. It started with demographic questions specifying gender, age, occupation, and primary country of residence. Questions then focused on the perception of the use of UGC in promoting Switzerland and content publishing practices. The questionnaire was distributed at the end of March 2021 for a period of three weeks. The questionnaire link was shared on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In total, we received 459 responses. We removed all incomplete responses because we felt that respondents had lower engagement and that their answers were potentially biased. The final number of responses was 341. However, it should be noted that the number of responses differs for the section on the perception of the use of user-generated content (N = 341) and the publication of UGC (N = 318). This variation in the number of respondents is explained by the use of branching logic within the questionnaire, which made it possible to separate respondents who consumed UGC from respondents who produced UGC. Only 318 of the 341 respondents publish photographs of landscapes and travel on Instagram.
13Various descriptive statistics were then computed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software to calculate means, medians, frequencies, and percentages. We also performed statistical tests, including the Mann-Whitney U test, which compares the medians of two groups of data. This test applies to ordinal qualitative data and quantitative data that do not follow a normal distribution. We used a significance threshold of 0.05, meaning we allow a 5% risk of claiming a difference between the two groups when there is none. Regarding the open-ended questions in the questionnaire, we transferred the data into ATLAS.ti software and conducted a thematic content analysis with the aim of determining which elements positively or negatively influence the perception of the use of UGC in promoting Switzerland.
14The average age of respondents is 33. The questionnaire reached users ranging from 15 to 66 years old. Given that 25–34-year-olds represent the majority of Instagram users (Tankowska, 2021), our sample roughly corresponds to the target population. The sample is largely made up of regular Instagram users. Of the 341 respondents, 89% use the app every day, 8% several times a week, and only 2% less than once a week. However, even if they use the app regularly, not all of these users are particularly active in terms of posting. Indeed, the majority publish content less than once a month (32%).
15In addition to the results obtained through the online questionnaire, we conducted six semi-structured individual interviews with Instagram users. We ensured gender parity and interviewed different generations with ages ranging from 25 to 65. It should also be noted that all six respondents were subscribers to the Instagram account @myswitzerland. Furthermore, although some had completed a few photography commissions, none had currently made it their profession. The number of followers varied considerably from one person to another, ranging from a few hundred to several tens of thousands. The interview grid contained three axes related to our research question: Instagram use, content visibility, and opinions on Switzerland Tourism's strategy. The interviews took place via video calls during April 2021. All interviews were transcribed, and the analysis was carried out on ATLAS.ti.
16In our sample, we found that the use of UGC to promote Switzerland is widely appreciated: 87% of respondents agreed with the statement "I think using user photos is a good way to promote Switzerland on Instagram." The majority of respondents believe that user content better represents reality (85%). Furthermore, half of them believe that using user content avoids duplication of effort because if the content already exists, there's no need to recreate it (55%), and they trust their peers more than tourist offices (50%). If we compare these three arguments, we find that the main positive aspect of UGC is that it allows for a better representation of reality. Indeed, the median for this item corresponds to "agree," while it is equivalent to "somewhat agree" for the other two (Table 1). It should also be noted that the Mann-Whitney U-test identified a statistically significant difference within our sample between those who post landscape and travel photographs and those who do not (p-value = 0.002). Those who post landscape and travel photographs are more likely to appreciate the use of UGC to promote Switzerland on Instagram.
Table 1: Positive aspects of using user-generated content to promote Switzerland on Instagram
|
N = 341
|
Strongly agree
|
Agree
|
Somewhat agree
|
Neither agree nor disagree
|
Somewhat disagree
|
Disagree
|
Strongly disagree
|
|
User content better represents reality.
|
106
|
113
|
71
|
32
|
16
|
0
|
3
|
|
Using user content helps avoid duplication of effort. If the content already exists, there's no need to recreate it.
|
48
|
59
|
81
|
73
|
47
|
24
|
9
|
|
I trust other users more than tourist offices.
|
34
|
71
|
67
|
106
|
39
|
18
|
6
|
17If we now consider the negative perceptions related to the use of UGC, it is worth noting that more than half of the respondents think that it is not fair to use the content created by these users without paying them (55%). Conversely, a minority of respondents think that the content is subjective and does not represent reality (32%) or that users are not legitimate in creating content to promote Switzerland, and that the photographs should be taken by tourist offices (11%). The medians show that the respondents “somewhat agree" with the first statement, they "neither agree nor disagree" with the second, and they “somewhat disagree" with the third (Table 2).
Table 2: Negative aspects of using user content to promote Switzerland on Instagram
|
N = 341
|
Strongly agree
|
Agree
|
Somewhat agree
|
Neither agree nor disagree
|
Somewhat disagree
|
Disagree
|
Strongly disagree
|
|
It's not fair to use content created by users without compensating them.
|
50
|
48
|
89
|
64
|
46
|
26
|
18
|
|
The content is subjective and does not represent reality.
|
13
|
28
|
67
|
98
|
84
|
41
|
10
|
|
Users have no legitimate right to create content that promotes Switzerland. Photographs should be taken by tourist offices.
|
2
|
11
|
23
|
70
|
78
|
77
|
80
|
18Furthermore, the analysis of open-ended questions allowed us to identify other positive and negative aspects influencing the perception of UGC use. For the positive aspects, authenticity and reality stand out in particular. Users produce content that is more authentic because it is not motivated by the commercial aspect: "it's a frank, spontaneous opinion, a liking of a place not dictated by the commercial aspect." The interviews support this result. One of the respondents speaks of "reality on the ground" and the connection with this type of content: "it allows users who follow the account to perhaps connect more with the publications in the sense that a marketing photo is something worked on [...] that users may not find on the ground because they are not at the right time, because they are not at the right moment, because there is no film crew behind it" (Male, 25-35 years old). UGC would also allow for greater variety than if the content was produced by a tourist office: "it would be more diverse and we would see other things than the hyper-touristy places." This diversity of places was also addressed by one respondent: "there are photos from almost everywhere and I find that interesting because it makes you want to go" (Female, 50-60 years old). Finally, the last point regularly cited is the visibility that this strategy gives to users and the opportunity for photographers to promote their work: "it promotes the visibility of photographers or people taking these photos.”
19Conversely, one negative aspect of using UGC stands out in particular: the question of legality. Do tourist offices have the right to reshare this content on their account? Some believe they do, while specifying that the question must be asked of the author: "you have to take the time to ask permission to use the photos... something that is not always done." Others opt for a mention of the author: "it is important to identify the author because it is not correct to take someone else's work without naming them." We can therefore see that respondents do not always agree on the steps to take to use a user's content and that this subject raises many questions. Furthermore, a number of respondents consider the use of UGC problematic because the content sometimes does not match reality: the photos are “too retouched by users looking for ‘likes’”. Using the notion of “reality” as an argument illustrating both a positive and a negative perception of the use of UGC shows that points of view diverge on this subject. While some believe that user photos better express the reality of places, others believe that these photos may be more retouched. Therefore, we observe that the use of UGC arouses an ambivalent perception because, on one hand, it is perceived positively for its representational and spontaneous aspect and, on the other hand, it raises a more critical perception due to the potential retouching, which could alter reality.
20Furthermore, the fact that the content is free was also regularly discussed, which demonstrates that the respondents are aware of the advantages for Switzerland Tourism: "now it's clear that this is the advantage of @myswitzerland, that they don't have photographers or people to pay" (Woman, 50-60 years old). This free nature of content is often associated with positive aspects. On several occasions, the respondents linked the free content both to diversity: "using the user "for free" allows them to be diversified" (Man, 25-35 years old) and to the quantity of photographs: "a photo still costs something. Here, they can source it for free so it's interesting to have volume" (Man, 40-50 years old). Ultimately, this strategy seems to be a win-win model and Switzerland Tourism is not the only one to benefit from it. Users, too, are happy to participate in promoting the country through their content and gaining visibility: “sometimes there are people who don’t want to be reposted because they say: “well of course they’ll make money with my photo, I don’t earn anything except a repost”. At the same time, it’s a bit of a game, eh. If no one reposts you, you’ll never grow your account, so it’s a bit of a give and take” (Woman, 30-40 years old).
21The results of this study confirm a trend already well-documented in the literature: users perceive content generated by their peers positively, particularly because it is considered more authentic, trustworthy, and diverse than that produced by institutions. First, the perception of authenticity is explained by the seemingly spontaneous and unscripted nature of UGC. The shared photographs depict landscapes that users will encounter upon visiting the site. Respondents describe this content as "candid," "spontaneous," or representative of the "reality on the ground." Furthermore, this type of content appears to be devoid of commercial interests and therefore more honest (Yamagishi et al., 2024). Thus, in opposition to institutional communication, often perceived as scripted and controlled, UGC is seen as the reflection of spontaneous, even sincere experiences (Sheng et al., 2024).
22However, this evaluation of authenticity is neither uniform nor unconditional. Several respondents qualify this view by pointing out that some users excessively edit their photos in a performance-oriented manner, seeking likes, visibility, or recognition. This paradox highlights a tension between perceived authenticity and strategic intentionality. Therefore, UGC can sometimes copy the shortcomings of institutional content by offering an idealised, even misleading, vision of destinations. This observation echoes Hatchuel's (1995) reflection on the prescriptive relationship. Thus, when the content producer's interest diverges from that of other users, the value of the prescriptive approach weakens. Trust in UGC therefore remains conditioned by the contributor's perception of sincerity. These results enrich existing work on the perceived authenticity of UGC, showing that this authenticity is based not only on the absence of a commercial dimension, but also on specific aesthetic and contextual elements such as the spontaneity of the shot.
23Secondly, this positive perception is reinforced by the trust placed in UGC producers. Even when they are unknown, i.e., “weak ties” in the sense of Narangajavana Kaosiri et al. (2019), their lack of commercial interest gives them greater credibility than that granted to tourism offices. The results of the questionnaire confirm this trend, since a significant proportion of respondents say they trust their peers more than tourism institutions. This result is consistent with work on the differential credibility of eWOM in the tourism sector (Kim and Johnson, 2016).
24Thirdly, UGC is perceived as more diverse than institutionally produced content. Because it comes from a multitude of users spread across the entire territory, it showcases places that are less well-known or underrepresented in traditional campaigns. This diversity of perspectives and landscapes not only helps avoid a stereotypical image of Switzerland, but also generates renewed interest in spaces often absent from traditional tourist circuits. This diversity contributes to a more nuanced representation of the Swiss territory, thus echoing the observations of Paül i Agustí (2018) on the potential of UGC to broaden the tourist imagination beyond media-covered areas.
25Our results show that users who themselves create and share content on Instagram have a more positive perception of UGC than those who do not. This appreciation can be explained by a feeling of active participation in promoting the region, but also by the opportunities this visibility offers, such as commissions or increased renown. However, adherence to this strategy is not based solely on opportunistic interests, but may also stem from a more flexible desire to contribute to the country's image, consistent with the intrinsic motivations mentioned by van Dijck (2009), such as pleasure, passion, or peer recognition.
26Another salient point of the study concerns the free nature of content and the perception of a win-win model between DMOs and content producers. Users, while mostly in favour of using UGC, raise questions about remuneration and recognition. While sharing through an institutional account like @myswitzerland is perceived as rewarding, some respondents question the legitimacy of free use, especially in the absence of explicit authorisation or mention of the author's name. This debate relates to issues of justice and image rights. The free appropriation of content raises ethical and legal questions about intellectual property, even in a digital environment where dissemination seems spontaneous and open. In short, while users recognise the symbolic benefits of this visibility, particularly for those with professional aspirations, not all of them subscribe to the idea that this visibility is enough to compensate for the lack of financial compensation. This ambivalence is particularly strong among those who, although accepting the repost ‘deal', express a form of resignation in the face of the asymmetry of this relationship.
27This tension between visibility and remuneration is all the more pronounced for photographers, whether amateur or professional. For these actors, symbolic recognition via a repost from Switzerland Tourism can certainly represent an opportunity by increasing their recognition, but it also raises the question of the validation of their work in a context where the image becomes a resource that can be exploited at low cost, or even free of charge. The fact that UGC is used for promotional purposes by institutions without financial compensation can be perceived as a form of devaluation of the photographers' skill. Moreover, this strategy of appropriating UGC can lead to a reduction in professional opportunities for local photographers, to the extent that DMOs, having an abundant stock of free images, are less inclined to commission paid images. Thus, while studies such as those of Jammet and Linder (2019) emphasize the strategic advantages of UGC for DMOs, our results question the ethical aspect of this model. Far from always being perceived as fair, the free use of content raises tensions between symbolic validation and financial remuneration, but also concrete repercussions on the economy of tourist photography.
28In essence, our results demonstrated that Switzerland Tourism's use of UGC to promote Switzerland is appreciated by users. This positive perception is influenced by the authenticity of the photographs, the trust placed in the content producer, and the diversity of the locations depicted. It also appears that those who post landscape and travel photographs, and therefore those involved in the production of this content, appreciate this strategy more. We can therefore conclude that Switzerland Tourism has adopted a popular strategy that is adapted to users' requirements on Instagram. The use of user-generated content is a way to showcase the country that satisfies both the users who view the content and those who produce it, while saving time and money. The proliferation of content, influenced by the use of the hashtag #inLOVEwithSWITZERLAND and the desire of some to gain visibility, the free nature of the content and its dissemination on social media, which can reach a global population, are all advantages of such a strategy. However, this strategy also raises questions about the recognition and remuneration of content producers, highlighting a persistent tension between symbolic appreciation and fair compensation.
29Furthermore, it is important to note that this work has certain limitations. The first is that our study does not provide a complete overview of Switzerland Tourism's strategy on digital social networks. First, the study focuses solely on user opinions without understanding Switzerland Tourism's motivations and approach. Second, it does not take into account other social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube, on which Switzerland Tourism is also active. It would therefore be interesting to compare these results with research focusing on the sender in order to gain a comprehensive view that includes the perspectives of both parties and to analyse the content selection criteria used by the Switzerland Tourism organisation. How does Switzerland Tourism choose which photographs to publish on its Instagram account from a substantial database of several hundred thousand posts? The second limitation we can highlight is related to the health situation at the time of the survey. This work was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic. This context had an impact on tourism in general and it may also have had an impact on our research since the Swiss mainly travelled within the country. It is therefore possible that more residents participated in the creation of content during this period and this is an element that would deserve to be analysed in future work. The involvement of the population in the sharing of photographs of the different regions of Switzerland would possibly be different outside of this health context favouring the rediscovery of the places around us. Finally, in this study, we analysed the perception of users not being paid to produce content. It would be interesting to ask the opinion of professional photographers who, according to some respondents and those surveyed, are the main disadvantaged of this strategy. Are they facing a loss of commission due to the use of UGC by tourist offices or, conversely, do they see the use of UCG as an opportunity to gain visibility on digital social networks and thus increase their recognition?
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