Impact of e-WOM message characteristics on its perceived usefulness in international tourism

Abstract

Word of Mouth (WOM) is one of the most frequently used term in the modern technology driven society. WOM is a means of direct interaction among consumers, influencing consumption-related decisions. With the massive expansion of internet, social-media and mobile phones, traditional WOM has given way to electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM). The significance of eWOM lies in its availability to a wider range of audience, though scattered geographically, connected virtually. Studies show that eWOM can influence travel-related decisions of potential tourists. Also known as user-generated content (UGC), eWOM available through social media and other similar platforms expands the ability of travellers to gather information, choose destinations and tour related services, understand the experiences of previous travellers and make better choices. Literature evidences show that the impact of eWOM on consumer decision making in tourism is greater than that of traditional face-to-face WOM communication. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of eWOM message characteristics (MC) on its perceived usefulness (PU) among the consumers, in the context of international tourism. The data was gathered applying a validated survey questionnaire from 833 respondents in the city of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.