Trust and Involvement in Tourism Social Media and Web-Based Travel Information Sources

While utilisation of electronic social media is increasingly relevant as tourism practices, there is still a deficiency of empirical research on tourists' creation and use of various types of online content. This study maps and explores Scandinavian tourists' perceptions of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 information sources and scrutinises influence of electronic social media on holidaymakers' information sharing, based on a summer season survey in the mature and well-known destination of Mallorca, Spain. Empirical evidence is presented on perceived trustworthiness of social media platforms and other Internet-based information. The study also examines tourists' involvement in developing and sharing of virtual content. It critically analyses technological mediation through electronic word-of-mouth and involvement factors related to virtual dissemination of travel narratives. Moreover, the paper discusses information intensity, hedonic aspects and utilitarian values of tourist information in relation to interaction aspects of social media, in a context of holiday choices and online booking.

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