Personal or Social? The Role of Fear of Missing Out in Poverty Alleviation Tourism

Abstract

This study contributes to the literature on fear of missing out (FOMO) and poverty alleviation that tourists can be simultaneously affected by both personal FOMO (P-FOMO) and social FOMO (S-FOMO). The former is an individual-based feeling, while the latter is how the individual would like to be perceived by others. An online survey was conducted using a quasi-experimental approach with a sample of 493 Mainland China respondents. We analyzed the impact of FOMO-laden online information on Chinese tourists subject to poverty alleviation travel. Anticipated elation, anticipated envy by other people, and moral obligation associated with P-FOMO, while anticipated envy by other people, moral obligation, and social influence associated with S-FOMO. The P-FOMO affects tourists' intention to visit, rather than S-FOMO. We fill the theoretical gap by examining FOMO in the context of poverty alleviation travel and subsequently contribute to sustainable tourism through poverty alleviation in this specific industry.