Electronic word-of-mouth in the choice sets of third age travellers: do knowledge professionals approaching their retirement use consumer-generated content in decision-making?
Toivonen, Elina (2012)
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Toivonen, Elina
Lapin yliopisto
2012
openAccess
Tiivistelmä
Older adults, or Third Agers, who will outnumber pre-adults by a third in traditional tourist generating countries of Europe and North America by 2025, are placing travel as a high priority in their retirement years. At the same time, world is being characterised by the penetration of digital technologies into all aspects of life. Word-of-mouth, considered the most important information source affecting the decision-making of consumers of all ages, has also become digital. This phenomenon of electronic word-of-mouth, eWOM, has been introduced to the industry by a few researchers, but has not yet been examined from the perspective of third age travellers.
The main purpose of this study is thus to identify what the role of eWOM is in the travel-related decision-making of knowledge professionals approaching their third age. The research subtasks are to investigate how the decision-making of these travellers is structured, which factors determine the role of eWOM and what motivates the travellers to adopt eWOM messages. The data is comprised of ten semi-structured interviews, analysed with qualitative content analysis.
It was found out that the interviewees have a tremendously critical approach towards eWOM. However, in cases when eWOM is perceived as relevant and credible, it is used to endorse decision-making. Also the amount of eWOM plays a role: if there are plenty of messages, the average may be looked at and any fictitious reviews are more likely to become outweighed by messages of real travellers.
This study continues the preparation of Acapella Village research programme (www.ulapland.fi/AcapellaVillage), the main emphasis of which is to contribute the design of sustainable future tourist communities. ‘The future tourists’ are particular, mobile and currently able-bodied generation of knowledge professionals, reaching their third age in 10-15 years from now. They are reshaping the tourism industry, and it is thus important to shed light on their decision-making. The increasing reliance on the Internet as an information source raises the need for further research into eWOM: understanding the underlying motivations behind eWOM communication leads to greater understanding of consumer behaviour.
The main purpose of this study is thus to identify what the role of eWOM is in the travel-related decision-making of knowledge professionals approaching their third age. The research subtasks are to investigate how the decision-making of these travellers is structured, which factors determine the role of eWOM and what motivates the travellers to adopt eWOM messages. The data is comprised of ten semi-structured interviews, analysed with qualitative content analysis.
It was found out that the interviewees have a tremendously critical approach towards eWOM. However, in cases when eWOM is perceived as relevant and credible, it is used to endorse decision-making. Also the amount of eWOM plays a role: if there are plenty of messages, the average may be looked at and any fictitious reviews are more likely to become outweighed by messages of real travellers.
This study continues the preparation of Acapella Village research programme (www.ulapland.fi/AcapellaVillage), the main emphasis of which is to contribute the design of sustainable future tourist communities. ‘The future tourists’ are particular, mobile and currently able-bodied generation of knowledge professionals, reaching their third age in 10-15 years from now. They are reshaping the tourism industry, and it is thus important to shed light on their decision-making. The increasing reliance on the Internet as an information source raises the need for further research into eWOM: understanding the underlying motivations behind eWOM communication leads to greater understanding of consumer behaviour.
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