The Impact of On-line Advertising on Tourist Motivation to Travel and Ethical Tourist Behavior

Abstract

Tourism is a significant cultural, social, and economic activity where individuals travel to different locations or countries outside of their usual environment. This involves spending money for various purposes such as business, leisure, and other activities, resulting in tourism expenditures (UNWTO 2021). The Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, has revolutionized social interactions and cultural experiences, shaping a new era of connectivity (Moradkhani, 2014). The travel industry has evolved with the rise of online advertising as a potent tool for attracting potential travelers. This research aims to explore the impact of online advertising on tourists' motivation to visit Egypt and their ethical conduct within the Egyptian tourism context, focusing on beach tourism in Red Sea resorts. An empirical study involving a substantial sample of 417 participants is presented, detailing the research methodology and its connections to ensure the study's credibility. Quantitative methods were used in this study to test the hypotheses. Data was collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)-26.0 software, utilizing various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings of this study indicate several distinctions. While Facebook advertising has shown some influence on tourists' ethical behavior, it is not the sole determining factor. Perceived sociocultural factors do not significantly impact ethical behavior, suggesting that these aspects may not heavily shape tourists' ethical conduct. However, perceived sociocultural factors do play a partial role in influencing travel motivation. This indicates that sociocultural aspects may influence people's travel motivations, but other factors may also be involved. Online Facebook advertising has a lasting impact on travel motivation. This shows that Facebook ads can have a positive impact on people's desire to travel. Online advertising on Facebook has a lasting impact on sociocultural aspects. This means that Facebook ads can influence people's perceptions of socio-cultural factors related to travel. Sociocultural factors play an important role in the impact of Facebook advertising on ethical behavior. This means that while sociocultural aspects may play a role in the relationship between Facebook advertising and ethical behavior, there are other factors as well. Sociocultural factors play an important role in the impact of Facebook advertising on travel motivation. This suggests that sociocultural aspects may influence the relationship between Facebook advertising and people's travel motivations, but other factors may also play a role. These results indicate that Facebook advertising has a significant impact on travel motivation and sociocultural aspects. However, other factors also influence ethical behavior, and the role of sociocultural aspects in mediating this relationship is not clearly defined. Additional research is needed to understand these relationships more fully. This study provides a valuable theoretical contribution by enhancing the current body of literature on tourist visit intentions. It offers a deeper insight into the motivational factors that impact the travel decision- making process, thereby enriching our knowledge in the field of tourism behavior research and tourism decision- making literature. Furthermore, it addresses gaps in empirical research on tourist behavior patterns in economically and culturally diverse countries.