‘Fake news’ meets tourism: a proposed research agenda

•This essay represents the first piece of research investigating the recent phenomenon of ‘fake news’ in the travel and tourism context. •‘Fake news’ is deeply rooted in the on-line availability and provision of information and the growth of social media usage. •The tourism industry is highly associated with the issue as information represents the foundation of travel and tourism products. •A large focus of research on this should consider, particularly, how consumers are impacted by ‘fake news’. •Important consumer issues such as ethical and security implications should also be considered.