How Smart Tourism Technologies Influence Destination Image, Tourist Satisfaction, and e-WoM: The Critical Impact of Place Dependence

Abstract

Objective: although STTs have been receiving much attention in tourism literature, there is still a research gap regarding the main marketing aspects. This research aims to fill this gap by investigating how STTs affect destination image (DI), tourist satisfaction (TS), and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WoM), considering the moderating effects of place dependence (PD). Methods: considering mediation and moderation influences, the study examined survey results from 393 tourists, applying structural equation modeling and the PROCESS package in SPSS to analyze the hypotheses. Results: the study verified that STTs significantly influence DI, TS, and e-WoM; DI and TS mediate the relationship between STTs and e-WoM; and PD moderates the relationships between STTs and TS, and between STTs and e-WoM. Conclusions: several recommendations are provided in the research to successfully manage marketing activities in tourism destinations and to apply efficient strategies for promoting exemplary behaviors among travelers who have a strong sense of PD.