Applying the UTAUT2 model to a non-technological service: The case of spa tourism

Abstract

Well-being tourism is a $639 billion market. Spa tourism is considered the most important segment within this market. The present study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model to analyse tourists’ purchase intentions regarding a thermal suite. The model was originally designed to analyse users’ acceptance of new technologies. The original contribution of this paper is to apply it to a non-technological service. Specifically, data were collected through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 810 potential Spanish spa-goers. A consistent partial least squares (PLSc) SEM technique was used. The proposed model explains 53.3% of the variance in Purchase Intentions regarding the thermal suite. Performance expectancy is the variable that plays the greatest role in tourists’ purchase intentions, followed by hedonic motivation.