Impact of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention: Mediating Role of Brand Image and Brand Trust of Tourist Destinations and Hospitality Establishments in Egypt

Abstract

Keywords Abstract E-WOM Purchase Intention Brand Image Brand Trust Mediating role Egypt Electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) through social media networks has grown significantly in relevance to the purchase intention (PI) of tourist destinations and hospitality establishments. Now, tourists can share their opinions and experiences of various brands with other potential customers, this will facilitate their decision-making. This study aims to determine the impact of E-WOM on purchase intention (PI) of tourist destinations and hospitality establishments, and to investigate the mediating roles of brand image and brand trust in the relationship between e-WOM and PI. A quantitative approach was applied. The targeted population was the foreign tourists in Egypt. A questionnaire was used to collect the primary data, which was distributed in Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, and Aswan from July to September 2022. A total of 750 forms were distributed, but only 682 questionnaires were returned. SPSS, V. 24 and AMOS, V. 24 were used. The findings indicate that there is a significant and positive impact of E-WOM on PI, brand image (BI), and brand trust (BT). The results showed that BT and BI played a significant mediating effect between e-WOM and PI of tourist destinations and hospitality services in Egypt. Therefore, the study presents a few recommendations for tourist destinations and hospitality establishment managers to take into account the importance of the positive relationship and the significant impact of WOM on PI. They must develop policies and procedures to deal with the dimensions of e-WOM and PI of tourist destinations, tourism and hospitality establishments.