Personality and Tourists’ Internet Behaviour

Abstract

This study aimed at relating tourists’ Internet behaviours and the Big Five Factors (BFF) of personality to identify personality items that better predict tourists’ Internet behaviours. Survey data from 288 domestic tourists to Busan, South Korea, was used to empirically examine the relationship between the BFF and Internet behaviours. Results indicate that Internet travel information sources vary with the BFF with the exception of extraversion, and the Internet channels used for travel information search also varied with the BFF with the exception of conscientiousness. The Internet is more widely used as a source of travel information but less for travel purchases. The results also suggest that the responses to some BFF items can substantially improve the predictability of tourists’ Internet behaviours. Implications for the use of the BFF in designing travel information systems are addressed.