Travel content creation: The influence of travelers’ innovativeness, involvement and use of social media

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine factors that affect the likelihood to create travel content online. Research has shown that there are far more people consuming social media than generating it. However, online travel marketers need to pay attention to travelers that share their experiences online, as they have the potential to drive sales. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted to collect data for this study, by sending e-mail invitations to colleagues, students, personal contacts and other email contacts composed of Portuguese Internet users. A total of 244 complete responses were considered valid to test the hypotheses through partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings – The results reveal that travelers’ level of involvement with tourism products, innovativeness and use of social media directly influences writing reviews about travel experiences online. Research limitations/implications – First, the data used in this study were based on a convenience sample containing only the Portuguese population. Therefore, generalization of the results should be made with caution. The replication of this study in other countries would be desirable. Second, the study used a quantitative approach to examine the effect of personal characteristics on travel content creation. A research using also a qualitative approach could shed new light on the understanding of the research hypotheses. Practical implications – This study provides useful insights for travel social media websites and travel-related organizations, as they can adapt their marketing strategies to the type of travelers that are more likely to write about the travel services that they offer online. Originality/value – From a theoretical perspective, there are few studies that focus on the personal characteristics of travelers that create content online. The intention of this study is to help close this gap, providing useful insights with respect to this matter