Abstract
This study aims to predict Generation Y customers’ acceptance of user-generated content (UGC) websites by integrating an extended technology acceptance model (TAM), trustworthiness of online reviews, and cultural consensus and cultural consonance theory. To collect data, a free listing method was first used to recognize our ad hoc domain, i.e., the factors that determine the trustworthiness of online hotel reviews among Generation Y in South Korea, from an emic perspective. Based on the free listing results from 39 individuals, an online survey was conducted with 273 samples using a self-administered questionnaire. Cultural consensus analysis was conducted to determine whether there is a shared cultural model in trustworthiness factors among participants, and cultural consonance values were calculated. Then, a structural equation modeling technique was used to estimate how the proposed model explains the collected data. Results indicate that an agreed-upon cultural model of trustworthiness of online hotel reviews exists among sample members. Cultural consonance of trustworthiness was found to constitute a significant antecedent of perceived ease of use and attitude towards websites in the extended TAM model. This study can contribute to predict Generation Y customers’ acceptance of UGC websites and offer meaningful implications for sustainable tourism management, particularly when cultural variables are considered.
Highlights
Online social media has become remarkably widespread in the hospitality and tourism industry
In order to consider the substantial influence of Generation Y on the hospitality and tourism sectors, this study’s results help to predict Generation Y customers’ acceptance of user-generated content (UGC) websites and offer meaningful implications, when cultural consensus and cultural consonance are taken into account
According to the cultural consensus analysis (CCA), the result indicates that a cultural model of the importance of trustworthiness toward online hotel reviews did exist among the sample members, which supports H1
Summary
Online social media has become remarkably widespread in the hospitality and tourism industry. Many hospitality and tourism businesses have been utilizing UGC websites in their online business strategies. Cost considerations constitute important elements of travel planning and decisions. Such costs include monetary costs, and personal effort and time consumed in accessing necessary information and making reservations [2]. Individuals may perceive increased psychological barriers and costs when using UGC websites if the process of accessing useful information is cumbersome or the reservation system is not easy to use. TAM has been widely applied in various disciplines, including hospitality and tourism [4,5,6]. Previous investigations have confirmed that the two major constructs of TAM are significant contributors to explaining customers’ UGC websites adoption for travel planning [7,8]
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