Who am I if you can’t see me? The “self” of young travellers as driver of eWOM in social media

Bibliographic Data

ID19554341
AuthorsMaria Ek Styvén (0000-0002-4397-6965, Luleå University of Technology, corresponding author), Tim Foster (0000-0003-1738-3450, Luleå University of Technology)
Year2018
Volume4
Issue1
Pages80-92
Publication date2018-06-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Tourism Futures (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2055-5911 • E-ISSN: 2055-592X
PublisherEmerald (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1108/jtf-12-2017-0057
OpenAlexW2788215828
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited33

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse factors influencing the propensity to share travel experiences in social media during a trip, across a sample of Millennial and Generation Z consumers in three different countries. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was sent to consumers between 16 and 30 years in Sweden, UK and India. Structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis was conducted to compare results between countries and generations. Findings Young travellers’ need for uniqueness (NFU) and opinion leadership (OL) with regard to travel tends to increase their propensity to share travel experiences in social media during a trip. Reflected appraisal of self is strongly related to NFU and OL and may therefore indirectly influence the propensity to share. Some differences were found between generations and countries. Research limitations/implications Future research could consider comparisons between travellers from younger and older generations. The hypotheses formulated in this study could be tested in other countries. Further adaptions or extensions of existing NFU scales to fit in the travel and tourism context are suggested. Practical implications Millennial and Gen Z consumers will constitute an increasing part of travellers and visitors in the future. Through a better understanding of their behaviour, tourism managers can design strategies to engage them and increase electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Originality/value This study contributes by addressing the lack of research on “self”-related drivers of eWOM in general social media during the trip, and by providing an international perspective through cross-cultural comparisons

Advertising · Business · Geography · Originality · Political science · Social media · Sociology · Tourism · Computer Science · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology · Marketing

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Open DOISci-HubOpen Access