Travel-Related Information Sources

Abstract

All information sources that individuals use may not affect their purchase intention. In fact, the credibility of the source of information as well as individuals' knowledge about the product theoretically affects their information search and, ultimately, purchase intention. Based on this proposition, authors conduct an assessment of tourist information search behavior in relation to source credibility and explore the relationship between prior knowledge and source credibility in searching for travel-related information. If an individual perceives a source to be credible, his or her use increases dramatically. Further, friends and relatives, the Internet and brochures/pamphlets were deemed to be most credible. The results supported one of the most widely accepted notions in the consumer and tourist behavior literature, that word-of-mouth (i.e., information from friends or relatives) is the most important source of external influence on individuals purchase behavior.