An Analysis of Tourist's Behavioural Intention in the Digital Era: Using a Modified Model of the Reasoned Action Theory

Destination management organisations currently operate in an environment where online media greatly influences travellers' decision-making. In this digital environment, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is considered an important source of information affecting tourist's behaviour and destination image formation. Destination image is also recognised as major element influencing holiday destination choice, intention to revisit a destination and the willingness to recommend it to others. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in turn, offers a relevant conceptual framework to analyse tourists’ behaviour. This paper aims to (1) incorporate eWOM and destination image as exogenous variables into the TRA model, then evaluate the ability of this extension to predict tourists’ behavioural intention (2) examine both eWOM and destination image impact on intention to visit an emerging destination (3) inspect eWOM role in destination image formation (4) evaluate the ability of the TRA’s core constructs (i.e., attitude and subjective norms) to predict intention. A quantitative approach based on structural equation modelling conducted this study in order to test the extended model, by analysing data collected from 234 potential foreign tourists, selected using a convenience sampling method. Results revealed that the extended model had a good predictive ability for tourists’ intentions to visit an emerging destination. Besides, attitude, subjective norms and destination image were significant predictors of visit intention, and eWOM significantly influenced the image. The study outcomes may help to develop a more efficient and successful tourism marketing strategy.