Information source and tourist expenditure: evidence from Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Travel information is omnipresent. Yet, the relationship between the source of travel information and tourist expenditure remains underexplored. To address this gap, the present study examines how the source of travel information used by tourists, both pre-trip and in-destination, impacts on tourist expenditure. Using survey data collected from tourists who visited Sarawak, Malaysia prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study is among the first of its kind to investigate the role of information source on tourist expenditure in a developing tourism destination. The study reveals that tourists who used travel agencies/tour operators and magazines/newspapers prior to their visit are likely to spend more across all expenditure categories. While in destination, tourists tend to use the internet to find the best prices on various activities, leading to significantly lower expenditure across most categories. These findings have important implications for tourism policy makers and tour operators in developing tourism destinations, empowering them with insights to formulate targeted advertising and marketing communication strategies.