6533b833fe1ef96bd129b594

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Destination appeal through digitalized comments

Enrique BignéRafael Currás-pérezCarla Ruiz

subject

MarketingPersuasionService provisionmedia_common.quotation_subject05 social sciencesAppealDestination imageBrand choice0502 economics and business050211 marketingValence (psychology)PsychologySocial psychology050203 business & managementTourismmedia_common

description

Abstract Brand choice remains under review in the context of service provision. Drawing on schema theory and persuasion theory, this study tests how, in online reviews, valence (positive vs. negative), content style (general vs. specific), and destination familiarity interact and influence digital destination image (DDI) and intention to visit a tourist destination (TD). We run a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design using a sample of 1055 TripAdvisor users. Our findings suggest that: (i) Positive (vs. negative) online reviews, specific (vs. general) online reviews, and familiarity with a destination enhance DDI and intention to visit a TD; (ii) the impact of the valence of the review on DDI and intention to visit decreases when the destination is familiar vs. unfamiliar; (iii) the impact of the valence of the review on DDI and intention to visit decreases when the review is specific vs. general.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.020