Social media gratifications in the context of international travel planning: The use of the repertory test method

Abstract

The purpose of this manuscript is to report the findings of an exploratory investigation into social media gratifications in the context of international travel planning. Underpinned by Personal Construct Theory as well as Uses and Gratifications Theory, an exploratory approach was used. The findings from a content analysis of published studies (N = 101) and from personal interviews with consumers in Australia (N = 20) using the Repertory Test technique, were triangulated to identify 19 salient attributes of social media in the context of international travel planning. Since user-generated content on social media is an influential organic image formation agent, and is now more volumous than the marketing communications of the travel industry, an important current issue is thinking about how destination marketing organisations can better take advantage of this medium. This study provides new insights into the range of salient travel planning attributes of social media. It is suggested that these findings could be used by destination marketing organisations (DMO) to assist stakeholders with social media promotions.