Towards an understanding of online travellers' acceptance of consumer-generated media for travel planning : integrating technology acceptance and source credibility factors

Regardless of the increasing popularity of social media, the use of consumer-generated media for the task of travel planning still meets with scepticism among certain online travel consumers. Hence the need to further explore the psychological factors underlying this aspect of online behaviour. This study proposes a model of CGM acceptance for the purpose of travel planning that integrates the Technology Acceptance Model with the Source Credibility Theory. Using an online survey of 201 valid responses and structural equation modelling, the findings highlight the critical factors relevant to the cognitive processes which determine online travellers’ affective and conative responses to the use of CGM for travel planning. The results suggest that integrating technology acceptance factors with that of information adoption can enhance the understanding of CGM usage in the holiday planning context. The study outcome holds implications for theory and practice.School of Hotel and Tourism Managemen