Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services

This research is aimed to investigate how travel consumers respond to online information posted in Consumer-Generated Media. It was examined the impact of consumer characteristics (risk propensity and Internet experience), information characteristics (information valence and information quality), an...

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Main Author: Kusumasondjaja, Sony
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Curtin University 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2155
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author Kusumasondjaja, Sony
author_facet Kusumasondjaja, Sony
author_sort Kusumasondjaja, Sony
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This research is aimed to investigate how travel consumers respond to online information posted in Consumer-Generated Media. It was examined the impact of consumer characteristics (risk propensity and Internet experience), information characteristics (information valence and information quality), and source characteristics (source identity and similarity) on consumer perception of information credibility, trust in the travel services being discussed, and intention to purchase the services. Hypotheses and research questions were proposed based on the concept of uncertainty reduction and information processing. A 3x2 between-subject experimental research design was developed. Information valence and source identity were manipulated. The survey was conducted at several popular tourist destinations in Bali involving 1939 real travel consumers holidaying in Bali as participants.Results show significant effects of risk propensity, information quality, and similarity on perception of information credibility, trust in travel services being reviewed, and intentions to purchase the services. Internet experience was found not significant in affecting credibility, trust, and purchase intention. The study also confirmed the main and interaction effects of information valence and source identity on perception of information credibility, trust in travel services being reviewed, and intentions to purchase the services. Information with identified source was perceived to be more credible and leads to greater trust and consumer purchase intention than unidentified information. Balanced information was found to have greatest impact on credibility, trust, and intention. Positive information was suggested to have the least impact on credibility, as well as negative information on trust and purchase intention. The interaction of balanced information with identified source was found to have the greatest influence on credibility, trust, and intention, while negative information with unidentified source was found to have the least effect. Several conceptual, methodological, and research contributions offered by this study are also discussed.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-21552017-02-20T06:37:29Z Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services Kusumasondjaja, Sony credibility source identity trust online word-of-mouth consumer-generated media information valence This research is aimed to investigate how travel consumers respond to online information posted in Consumer-Generated Media. It was examined the impact of consumer characteristics (risk propensity and Internet experience), information characteristics (information valence and information quality), and source characteristics (source identity and similarity) on consumer perception of information credibility, trust in the travel services being discussed, and intention to purchase the services. Hypotheses and research questions were proposed based on the concept of uncertainty reduction and information processing. A 3x2 between-subject experimental research design was developed. Information valence and source identity were manipulated. The survey was conducted at several popular tourist destinations in Bali involving 1939 real travel consumers holidaying in Bali as participants.Results show significant effects of risk propensity, information quality, and similarity on perception of information credibility, trust in travel services being reviewed, and intentions to purchase the services. Internet experience was found not significant in affecting credibility, trust, and purchase intention. The study also confirmed the main and interaction effects of information valence and source identity on perception of information credibility, trust in travel services being reviewed, and intentions to purchase the services. Information with identified source was perceived to be more credible and leads to greater trust and consumer purchase intention than unidentified information. Balanced information was found to have greatest impact on credibility, trust, and intention. Positive information was suggested to have the least impact on credibility, as well as negative information on trust and purchase intention. The interaction of balanced information with identified source was found to have the greatest influence on credibility, trust, and intention, while negative information with unidentified source was found to have the least effect. Several conceptual, methodological, and research contributions offered by this study are also discussed. 2012 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2155 en Curtin University fulltext
spellingShingle credibility
source identity
trust
online word-of-mouth
consumer-generated media
information valence
Kusumasondjaja, Sony
Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title_full Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title_fullStr Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title_full_unstemmed Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title_short Travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
title_sort travelers’ responses to online information on consumer-generated media for travel-related services
topic credibility
source identity
trust
online word-of-mouth
consumer-generated media
information valence
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2155