Effects of tourists’ online self-disclosure depth on readers’ visit intentions: mediating roles of perceived social distance and perceived self-expressiveness

Abstract

ABSTRACT social media are important channels through which potential consumers can obtain information to inform travel decisions. This research examined the influence of tourists’ social media self-disclosure depth on information receivers’ visit intention. Hypotheses were tested using three experiments. Results revealed that tourists’ self-disclosure depth on social media positively affected readers’ visit intention directly. Tourists’ self-disclosure depth specifically reduced the social distance perception between posters and readers and improved a destination’s/hotel’s self-expressiveness perception, thereby enhancing readers’ visit intention. Spatial distance moderated these effects. These findings offered theoretical and managerial implications for destination managers and website designers to guide tourists’ self-disclosure.