Factors influencing consumers’ intention to purchase hotel products on Douyin (TikTok): a comparison of business and leisure travelers

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PurposeEmploying the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework, this study examines the potential differences between two groups of hotel guests – business and leisure travelers – in terms of factors influencing their intention to purchase hotel products on Douyin (TikTok) in China.Design/methodology/approachData gathered from 700 Chinese hotel guests was analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and multigroup analysis (MGA).FindingsThe MGA results reveal that three newly added variables – personalization, perceived interactivity and perceived creativity – significantly influence the purchase intention of leisure travelers but not business travelers. Regarding the conventional UTAUT2 variables, leisure travelers are more influenced by hedonic motivation and price value in their purchasing decisions. In contrast, performance expectancy and effort expectancy have a greater impact on the decision-making process of business travelers than their leisure counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretically, this paper is among the first to explore traveler types as moderators in the purchase of hotel products on Douyin. Practically, the findings offer valuable guidance for hotel marketers aiming to leverage Douyin to promote hotel products to these two different traveler segments.Practical implicationsInstead of using “one-size-fits-all” strategies, hotel managers should design marketing strategies that address the diverse needs of business and leisure travelers on Douyin. By implementing this strategy, they can effectively attract target customers and, in turn, increase hotel revenue.Originality/valueThis study expands the UTAUT2 framework and contributes to the scarce knowledge about the differences between business and leisure travelers regarding the relative importance of factors that influence their purchase intention for hotel products on Douyin among business and leisure travelers.