An investigation of motivations to engage in eWom among inbound Muslim tourists to Malaysia

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate motivations to engage in eWom communication among the Muslim tourism market. Specifically the study focuses on inbound Muslim tourists to Malaysia, a top Muslim friendly holiday destination. A non-probability judgmental sampling approach was employed to collect data in two major cities in Malaysia. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the scales. Reliability and validity of the measurement scale was established through AVE, Cronbach's alpha, critical ratios and composite reliability. Similar to earlier studies, the findings of the current study indicate that the driving force among Muslim tourists to engage in eWom in the pre-purchase stages relate to convenience, risk reduction and social reassurance. Similarly they are desirous of self-enhancement and social benefits, display a concern for others and are keen to provide platform assistance in their post purchase stages. In essence Muslim tourists are not that different from non-Muslim tourists. Strategic implications and directions for future research are included.