Electronic Word of Mouth, Attitude, Motivation, and Travel Intention in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted individuals to spend more time searching for information on social media channels. Although most countries have entered a new normal, these channels still play a crucial role in people's decisions. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the relationship between electronic word of mouth and the attitude, motivation, and travel intention of potential tourists. To achieve this objective, an online survey has gathered 431 valid responses for analysis. Structural equation modeling was employed to investigate the relationships between variables in the proposed model. We find evidence to show that eWOM positively affects potential tourists’ travel intentions, while attitude and motivation play positive mediating roles in the effect of eWOM on customers' travel intentions. These results suggest the received information from online reviews, along with optimistic attitudes and motivations, can promote potential tourists’ decisions. Moreover, while eWOM can be a useful source to grasp customers’ demands, it may also spread unfavorable reviews about the destination. Hence, stakeholders should try to well manage eWOM because if eWOM conveys positive messages, it can help boost tourism in the post-coronavirus pandemic. The paper contributes to the current literature by identifying a critical variable affecting customers’ travel intention during the post-pandemic era.