Acquiring travel-related information from mobile social networking services: What factors predict social networking services users’ perceived value and trust in Malaysia?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The goal of this research is to predict which factors influence SNS users’ perceived value and trust in acquiring travel-related information from mobile social networking services (mobile SNS). Data were analysed via the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach to examine the postulated research hypotheses. The PLS-SEM approach revealed that perceived enjoyment profoundly influenced SNS users’ perceived value of the travel-related information acquired from mobile SNS. Furthermore, perceived value was found as the strongest predictor of SNS users’ trust in acquiring travel-related information from mobile SNS. Users were able to accumulate a high volume of knowledge from other online users who shared a variety of travel-related information via SNS. This allows users to acquire substantial amounts of useful travel-related data from other online users using SNS while simultaneously, improving their interpersonal relationships. The empirical research findings provide some directions for managers in the tourism industry to follow, by applying the findings of this study to their marketing strategies. The study gains in importance, particularly after Facebook’s data privacy scandal with Cambridge Analytica. Directions for future research are offered.