Luận án tiến sĩ Quản trị kinh doanh: Pre-travel consumer responses towards user-generated content (UGC) for travel planning: a perspective of destination image and personality among domestic tourists on social networking and sharing sites in Vietnam

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITYINTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI HUONG THANH PRE-TRAVEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TOWARDS USER-GENERATED CONTENT UGC FOR TRAVEL PLANNING - A PERSP

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI HUONG THANH

PRE-TRAVEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TOWARDS

USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC) FOR TRAVEL

PLANNING - A PERSPECTIVE OF DESTINATION IMAGE AND PERSONALITY AMONG DOMESTIC TOURISTS ON

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SHARING SITES IN

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI HUONG THANH

PRE-TRAVEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TOWARDS

USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC) FOR TRAVEL

PLANNING - A PERSPECTIVE OF DESTINATION IMAGE AND PERSONALITY AMONG DOMESTIC TOURISTS ON

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SHARING SITES IN

VIETNAM

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ID: PBAIU19004

SUPERVISOR

ASSOC PROF HA MINH TRI

HO CHI MINH CITY - 2024

The work presented in this thesis has been submitted as part of the PhD in

Business Administration degree at International University, Vietnam National

University, Vietnam serves as a formal affirmation by the candidate that the research

work presented is their own original contribution It ensures that the thesis does not

contain any material previously published or written by another individual, except

where appropriate references are provided Additionally, the declaration certifies that

the thesis has not been submitted, either in whole or in part, for any other degree or

diploma at any other institution This statement is fundamental in maintaining the

integrity and authenticity of the academic work, underscoring the candidate's

commitment to academic honesty and originality within the context of Vietnam

National University's academic standards.

Nguyen Thi Huong Thanh

Vietnam

February, 2024

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

The copyrights of a PhD thesis report submitted to the School of Business,

International University, Vietnam National University, Vietnam, are retained by the

author.

® This ensures that the author holds exclusive rights to reproduce,

distribute, and display the work, as well as to create derivative works

e The thesis may be archived and made publicly accessible by the

university in its institutional repository, respecting the author's

intellectual property rights.

® Any reproduction or use of the thesis in whole or in part must

acknowledge the original author and source, adhering to the university's

guidelines on academic integrity and copyright law.

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS

Ha, M T., & Nguyen, T H T (2023) Recovery of international destination image

and its consequence on trust and travel planning behaviour towards online

generated contents in Vietnam Journal of International Business and

Entrepreneurship Development, 15(1), 61-88, DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2023.131467

(Scopus - Q2)

Ha, M T., Nguyen, T H T., Tran, M T., & Nguyen, S T (2023) Online-generated

contents fostering travel destination image formation: evidence in Vietnam during

COVID-19 pandemic recovery Journal for International Business and

Entrepreneurship Development, 15(2), 295-323, DOI:

10.1504/JIBED.2023.132874 (Scopus - Q2)

Ha, M T., Huong, N T T., Nguyen, G D., & Hoai, T.T (2023) Strengthening

Information-Seeking Behavior Toward International Destinations Among Young

Travelers in Vietnam During the Pandemic Recovery Ho Chi Minh City Open

University Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 13(2)

(ACI-indexed)

Thanh-Huong, N.T., Giang-Do, N., Minh-Tri, Ha (2022) Content-Based Attributes

of Online Reviews and Its Role in Travel Decision: A PRISMA Method of

Studies from 2009 to 2021 Vietnam AGBA’s 2022 Conference Proceedings

(Advances in Global Business Research) Vol 18, No 1, ISSN: 1549-9332,

Istanbul, Turkey [AGBA (USA), Millikin University (USA), Indian Institute of

Management Rohtak (India), Antalya Bilim University (Turkyei), and KIMEP

University] (Scopus-indexed) (Best Paper Award)

OTHER RESEARCH AND CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS

Ha, M T., Nguyen, G D., Nguyen, T H T., & Thi Nguyen, B D (2023) The use of

dietary supplements and vitamin consumption during and after the Covid

pandemic in Vietnam: a perspective of user-generated content Humanities and

Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-12

https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02340-3 (ISI/Scopus-Q1)

THT, Nguyen, TA, Phan (2023) Online Generated-Contents Reinforce Travel

Behavioral Intention at Pre-Trip Stage: Tourists in Vietnam during Covid-19

Pandemic AMA Summer Academic Conference 2023 Conference Proceedings,606-617

TA Phan, THT Nguyen, N Phan, BN Nguyen (2023) Factors Influencing Vietnamese

Consumers’ Willingness to Purchase Fair Trade Products AMA Winter Academic

Conference 2023 Conference Proceedings, 734-740

First, I want to send my special thanks and gratitude for the great support

to my advisor, Dr Ha Minh Tri, who is very grateful for offering me the

opportunity to complete a PhD project, as well as the other entire academic and

research-related chances I have been able to embark on I am also appreciative

to him providing needed encouragement, support and assistance as well as

helping me at the entire important journey of PhD study Furthermore, my

advisor facilitates me to find me career aspirations in research by guiding me all

the ways, and taking me to many domestic and international conferences to

embrace the world of academia.

Second, my deepest appreciations and gratefulness go to my delightful

family for their nourishment and encouragement at both financial and emotional

sides of life My journey in life was started by my parents, who gave me their

passion and values as well as thorough understanding; and my younger sister,

Rachel, who positively inspired me with enduring her supportive mentality and

her no-nonsense views of the world Additionally, my older cousin, Jenny, who

enthusiastically devoted to be an empathetic listener and _ biggest

companionship, shares with me for all in life and even when I’ve been in

going-over time.

Third, I also should acknowledge all leaders and colleagues at my

workplace (Eastern International University) and teammates at my

doctoral-program university (International University — Vietnam National University)

respectively I really appreciate their treasured times helping me in various

research’s problems and concerns by discussing and sharing experience for

better knowledge and enhancement Also, thank you my university president,

dean and head of department for understanding and taking care myself by

flexible time and task arrangement during my study process.

Finally, a very special person who has always been with me through ups

and downs at heart of life is my supportive man, Henry Thank you for being so

patient and preserving during years of study time though being far away from

me by thousands of kilometers You have been more than a life-partner to me;

you’ve been an inspiration and a big “facilitator”

Thank you all.

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION

AVE Average Variance Extracted

Al Artificial Intelligence

CB-SEM Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling

CFA Confirmatory Factor Analysis

CMB Common Method Bias

COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic In 2019

CR Composite Reliability

de Geodesic Discrepancy

DSTC Decision-Stages-By-Trip-Components

duts Unweighted Least Squares Discrepancy

EFA Exploratory Factor Analysis

ELM Elaboration Likelihood Model

eWOM Electronic Word-Of-Mouth

HTMT Heterotrait-To-Monotrait Ratio of Correlation

ICT Information And Communication Technology

IoT Internet Of Things

ISB Information Seeking Behavior

KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Test

KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin

OTR Online Travel Reviews

PLS-SEM Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling

PMT Protection Motivation Theory

RMSiheta Root Means Square Residual Covariance

SEM Structural Equation Modeling

SLT Social Learning Theory

SMMR Standardized Root Mean Square Residual

SNSS Social Networking and Sharing Sites

SOR Stimulus-Organism-Response

SPM Structuring And Processing Model

SPSS Statistical Package for The Social Sciences

SQRT (AVE) | Square Root of The Average Variance Extracted

TPB Theory Of Planned Behavior

TRA Theory Of Reasoned Action

UGC User-Generated Content

VIF Variance Inflation Factor

VND Vietnamese Dong (Currency of Viet Nam)

WOM Word-Of-Mouth

DECLARATION

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS.

OTHER RESEARCH AND CONFERENCE PUBLICA TIONS iv

2.1.2 Elaboration likelihood model (ELM)

2.1.3 Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

2.1.4 Social Learning Theory (SLT)

2.1.5 Protection motivation theory (PMT)

2.1.6 The illustration of links between theoretical base and proposed framework

2.2 Hypotheses development

2.2.1 Online user-generated content (UGC) in tourism context.

2.2.2 Domestic tourists in Vietnam as a blend of Millennials and Gen Z

2.2.3 Antecedents affecting travel destination choice

2.2.4 Overall destination image in tourism

2.2.5 E-trust

2.2.6 Traveler’s personality and its moderating role

2.2.7 Consumer responses as travel online planning behavior

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research philosophies

3.2 Research approach

3.3 Research design

3.4 Data collection approaches and methods

3.4.1 Data collection approach

3.4.2 Data collection methods

4.4.1 Common method bi:

4.4.2 Assessment of the measurement mode!

4.4.3 Assessment of structural model

4.4.4 Assessment of moderating role of personality

4.5 Discussion

4.5.1 Overall destination image is triggered by understandability, valence, novelty

4.5.2 Overall destination image is triggered reviewer expertise and psychological risk 138

4.5.3 e-Trust is facilitated by the effects of non-content factors and its relation to tourists’ online planning behavior 140

4.5.4 A new mediating role of e-Trust and its associations 142

4.5.5 An integrated influence on consumer response toward pre-travel activities 143

4.5.6 A new exploration of personality dimension in tourism behavioral response 145

4.5.7 An embarking contribution of the blend of Gen Y and Gen Z toward travel behavior

5 Total scale scores for Cronbach's Alpha.

6 Initial Rotated Pattern Matrix

7 Considerations of Item Eliminations in EFA

8 Final Rotated Pattern Matrix

9 Measurement items with indicator loadings

10 Internal Consistency Reliability

11 Convergent validity (AVE — Average Variance Extracted)

12 Discriminant validity (Fornel-Lacker)

13 Discriminant validity (HTMT)

14 Structural estimates of hypothe:

15 Indirect effect’s results

16 Specific Indirect Effects

17 Confirmation of structural paths and associations

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Key attributes of SOR framework

Figure 2.2 Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

Figure 2.3 The travel planning process

Figure 2.4 Proposed research model

Figure 4.1 Results of the Hierarchical Structural Model Test Figure 4.2 Moderating role of Personality

Figure 4.3 Moderating role of Personality

This paper aims to examine the critical antecedences of extended Theory Planned

Behavior and Elaboration likelihood models, which affect consumers’ overall imageformation and tourists’ online response for planning phase towards a particular

destination through social networking and media sharing sites in the context of new

recovery Five antecedences of online content, namely Understandability, Valence,

Novelty, incorporating Reviewer expertise and Perceived psychological risk, are beinginvestigated to highlight the association with the mental evaluations of cognitive andaffective aspects amongst travelers in Vietnam these days Then, this overall evaluation

toward the destination is investigated to unveils the effects on travelers’ e-trust and their

planning behavior digitally during the pre-travel stage Data were collected through

online self-administered survey platform by engaging 659 respondents across Vietnam.PLS-SEM was used for data analysis and interpretation, which indicated that

Understandability, Novelty, Valence and Reviewer expertise have positive relationships

with cognitive and affective evaluation, and online planning behavior Interestingly,

perceived psychological risk is significantly associated with overall destination imageand e-trust in this context The new role of Personality in this study has been moderatedconsiderably by the links between overall destination image, e-trust and its interaction

with planning behavior toward destination Finally, the findings are expected to

contribute to the knowledge of destination image and online planning behavior toward adestination during pre-travel stage and also provide solid premises for future research to

enlarge the diversity of respondents and destination image literature regarding smart

tourism technology

Key words: online planning behavior, understandability, valence, novelty,

reviewer expertise, perceived psychological risk, e-trust, destination image, personality

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

The introduction section of this dissertation outlines the multifaceted nature

of tourism, emphasizing the impact of information and communicationtechnologies (ICT) on the industry It discusses the transformative role of user-

generated content and social media in shaping consumer behavior and

decision-making The section also highlights the adoption of smart technologies and the

Internet of Things (IoT) in enhancing the tourist experience and operationalefficiency Additionally, it addresses the vulnerabilities of the tourism sector,particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent recovery efforts

The introduction sets the stage for exploring the digital transformation and

resilience of the tourism industry, with a focus on Vietnam's effective response

and recovery in the post-pandemic era

1.1 Research background

Tourism is a service activity involving the movement of individuals from

one geographical location to another It is a multifaceted phenomenonencompassing social, cultural, and economic aspects Tourism entails the

relocation of individuals to destinations beyond their usual surroundings, driven by

personal or professional purposes The tourism system enables individuals to

understand the entire evolution of travel from both supplier and consumerperspectives (Hamid et al., 2021) Over the past decade, it has become evident that

the proliferation of user-generated content (UGC) in the form of online reviews on

mega review sites like TripAdvisor has profoundly influenced how consumers

perceive and ultimately choose their vacation destinations, as well as the hotels

and restaurants they patronize (Boo & Busser, 2018; Narangajavana Kaosiri et al.,

2019) Social media has emerged as a significant element in the contemporary

tourism revolution, particularly in terms of growing access to and utilization of

travel-related information sources (Choi, 2013; Koo et al., 2011; Xiang et al.,

2015) These marketing and communication platforms have substantially altered

the tourism industry by changing the behavior perspectives of both service

providers and travelers (Jacobsen & Munar, 2012) Due to the capabilities of the

Internet and advanced technologies, travelers actively engage and collaborate in

creating, consuming, and disseminating travel information and experiences

digitally, which is a significant benefit of the Internet and social media

(Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019)

To support the increasing diversity of products and services, the number of

platforms through which review information or promotional messages can be

obtained is rising When it comes to information searching and seeking, consumers

and online users find the Internet and social media platforms to be more

convenient alternatives to traditional media (Dedeoglu, 2019) The term electronic

word-of-mouth (eWOM) or user-generated content on virtual sites has become

indispensable for influencing consumer attitudes, preferences, and purchasing

decisions (M.D Sotiriadis, 2017) Unlike traditional word-of-mouth (WOM),

eWOM is designed to quickly assist a broad audience (Litvin et al., 2018) Next,

Viglia et al (2016) argue that online reviews, a prevalent form of eWOM, play an

essential role in determining the occupancy rates of accommodations in the

hospitality industry Customer-generated content on social media is widely

accepted as an effective means for shaping consumer decisions and preferences,

ensuring that travel companies or providers are aligned with the proper strategies

for growth in the tourism sector (Dedeoglu, 2019)

The tourism sector has been profoundly impacted by the revolution in

information and communication technologies (ICT) brought about by the Internet

(Hamid et al., 2021) In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), it is crucial that

everything has the capability to be identifiable and interact with its physical

surroundings, even passively (Pencarelli, 2020) Essentially, the oT encompasses

a system where all objects can communicate, detect, and interact In the context of

"interactive tourism," there is an increasing trend among travelers to use

smartphones for navigating and exploring various destinations (Buhalis &

Amaranggana, 2015) ‘Smart’ watches, bracelets, glasses, and lenses—that is,

wearable accessories that can be customized—have replaced smartphones and

tablets as technological devices that have undergone a significant evolution and are

now significantly altering people's lifestyles and routines Tourists are increasingly

adopting action cameras, also known as 180° double lens cameras, to capture and

disseminate their travel experiences directly to social media Besides,

transportation sectors (e.g., self-driving automobiles or airplanes) and hospitality

sectors (e.g., hotels) are also incorporating robotics into their operations (Ivanov et

al., 2019) Previously confined to manufacturing facilities, robots are now being

implemented in the hospitality industry to manage and book rooms, among other

mundane tasks Additionally, the notion of e-tourism is primarily to enhance the

effectiveness of information exchange, processing, communication, and sharing

Owning to its importance, incorporating the preferences and planning equipment

of tourists, the tourism recommendation system generates suggestions to assist

them in organizing a leisure and tourism itinerary Currently, tourism is recognized

as a prominent industry that has rapidly acclimated to the advent of e-tourism and

smart tourism as components of their newly developed technology (Belanche et

al., 2021) Hence, rapid growth in the number of visitors, alterations in their

behavioral patterns, and their extensive use of digital technologies have all served

as inspiration for the promotion of smart tourist destinations Continuously, the

notion of smart tourism in the tourism industry aims to explain how individual

destinations may customize improvements in information technology,

encompassed by ICT, IoT, and cloud computing, to enhance the quality of the

tourist experience, facilitate interactions among visitors, and foster the

internationalization of the industry (Tavitiyaman et al., 2021)

Given that human mobility is progressively becoming an intrinsic aspect of

their ways of life and standards of living, the tourism and hospitality industries are

exceptionally susceptible to a multitude of risks, including crime, terrorism, war,

disaster and transmissible disease (Caber et al., 2020; Goffman, 2020) The

coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, for instance, continues to hit hard, with the

global tourism and travel industry possibly declining by a percentage of between

58% and 78% with regard to international arrivals in 2020, which roughly equals a

loss of USD 320 billion (COVID, 2020) Given the immediate infection of the

global health-pandemic, most countries have announced the implementation of

strict prevention approaches (e.g quarantines, lockdowns, travel bans and social

distancing) to regulate human mobility and thus restrict transmission (Zheng et al.,

2021b) During the outbreak, tourists mostly suffered sequences of unexpected

situations and events and were subjected to high infection risks As an illustration,

since the prohibitions of country borders were executed, many international

tourists were banned from visiting destinations with little advance notice (Kiernan

and DeVita 2020) Tourists’ travel plans were severely disrupted, leading to

unpredictable economic damage in tourism, such as flight and hotel cancellations,

health-related checks and various travel restrictions by particular states and

countries (Kim et al., 2021a) In response to this, the development of a vaccine and

treatment for coronavirus has dramatically enabled a strong momentum of

recovery and confidence return, with almost three times as many international

arrivals in the very first quarter of 2023 (Komodromos et al., 2022; UNWTO,

2022)

Concerns about country and region travel restrictions and the suspended

operations of service providers are primarily considered to be among the

most-affected areas in regions such as South-East Asia, North-East Asia, South Asia,

North Africa and Oceania, and even among the least-affected areas such as

Western Europe, North America and the Caribbean (Shao et al., 2021) In the letter

by Gloria Guevara, the President of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the

viewpoints indicate that the base of the travel and tourism sector is described as

“already facing collapse” and “in a fight for survival” due to this global health

disaster (Guevara, 2020) The uncertainties caused by the crisis have plagued the

service industry because the nature of hospitality and tourism describes human

mobility and close interaction for related co-creators and the primary suffering of

the pandemic and its complications (Hao et al., 2020; Monfared et al., 2021;

Triantafillidou and Tsiaras, 2018) As given benefits, tourists with cutting-edge

devices enable to seamlessly access to the available business presences to amuse

their needs by value-exchange searching, alternatives for lower prices, variety of

attractions and activities, numerous e-payment options, comments/contents sharing

and distributing on social media

Explicitly, domestic tourists in Vietnam are ranked the second most

interested in traveling post-pandemic in 2022 by their planning activities and

behaviors for the upcoming journey, accounting for 85 per cent of respondent

joined in the survey of Booking.com (Vietnam Plus, 2022) Also, travel companies

and agents in Vietnam have suffered mounting losses because of travel restrictions

on all continents over the past two years Then, online travel companies and

practitioners are now considering and practicing elaborately to deliver the safety

and less affected places to new behavioral changes (Shira, 2022) From a tourism

management perspective, Vietnam’s government has been distinguished among

Asia countries as the most effective country for pandemic response and resilience

during the previous years Given one of the first countries started to reopen the

usual vibe of society and activity by implementing lock-down and social isolation

approaches, Vietnam dramatically attracted much more attention from world

leaders in the tourism sectors (Quang et al., 2022) As a result, user-generated

content on social networks enables users to easily access and exchange an

extensive amount of travel-related information and offerings from the online

environment, especially trip-planning reviews and experience sharing, or even

suggestions for accommodation and relevant activities (Yu et al., 2020) The

effective use of these abundant resources proved tremendously helpful in assisting

both service providers, marketers and tourists during the crisis (Huerta-Alvarez et

al., 2020; Ebrahimi et al., 2020) Consequently, the updates about the spread of the

pandemic might impact consumer perception of the current situation and the

severity of the pandemic, thereby altering their attitudes and behaviors, and their

final decisions regarding their travel intention (Bhati et al., 2021; Hassan and

Soliman, 2021; Rather, 2021) The inclusion of Gen Y and Gen Z in this research

is theoretically and systematically justified due to their status as digital natives,

their significant influence by and engagement with social media, and their distinct

behavioral patterns favoring novel travel experiences Their substantial consumer

power and relevance in today's digital age make them ideal subjects for studying

the impact of online user-generated content (UGC) on travel decision-making

These generations’ active engagement with digital content provides a wealth of

data, offering innovative perspectives and insights into leveraging UGC for

effective marketing strategies By focusing on Gen Y and Gen Z, the research

captures broader cultural shifts towards digitalization and experiential

consumption, ensuring relevance, data richness, and practical implications for the

evolving travel and tourism industry

Understanding the various ways in which the Internet and technology

influence consumer behavior is essential for organizations and relevant

stakeholders to develop efficient and sustainable marketing communication

strategies As travelers often require substantial information when planning a trip,

pre-trip travel planning—a distinct phase of consumer information search—

becomes an indispensable component of the travel experience With the increasing

technological proficiency of travelers, their reliance on technology for exploring

and sharing information has grown significantly Consequently, their expectations

and use of smart technology have expanded across every facet of travel (Hailey

Shin et al., 2021) When planning a trip, travelers are expected to heavily rely on

mega review sites and user-generated content to find trustworthy sources of

travel-related information They believe these sources will help them navigate through a

wide range of alternatives and make informed decisions (Cheng & Jin, 2019;

Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019) Online-generated content from various sites is

widely recognized as a reliable indicator of the quality of tourism services, given

its ability to capture the intangible and experiential aspects of these services

Additionally, travel-related information plays a crucial role in helping travelers

minimize uncertainty and risk when engaging in tourism services and activities

(Ant6n et al., 2018) Several tourism destinations have transformed into smart

tourism destinations, rapidly adopting new smart technologies This transformation

enhances the travel experience by integrating smart technologies and systems to

provide easier access to information, interaction with tourism resources, and

personalized services Consequently, online-generated content shared and

discussed on virtual platforms has become an increasingly indispensable element

in the evolution and improvement of every aspect of the tourism industry, both

domestically and internationally

1.2 Research problems

First, online content on social media is promoted as a crucial component in

reaching a huge audience in a highly cost-effective approach (Safko, 2012)

Additionally, it subsequently has the power to affect potential customers’

experiences and decision-making processes by evoking their interest in and

curiosity about a specific business or brand Thus, content generated by online

users could be impressed at a definite level of awareness in consumer’s mind

among the various brands for travel products and services (Kim & Park, 2017) In

some cases, nevertheless, there are some extreme considerations involved in the

volume of content generated on social media as even an excessive amount of

information (Dedeoglu, 2019), as a result, confliction could occur while the

particular source of information seems to be essential by this group of consumers,

but might be considered unimportant or unnecessary by another (Kim & Park,

2017) Notwithstanding this, tourists are still confronted with uncertainty due to

the abundance of information sources and the wide range of possibilities

embedded within their own decision sets (Sthapit, 2019; Zillinger, 2020) Users

tend to prioritize information that is personally pertinent to them while

disregarding or overlooking significant irrelevant content (Lee et al., 2016) It can

result in the provision of incomplete information according to their expectation

Consequently, an excessive amount of information and overwhelming social

demands might result in social fatigue in the recent study (Zhang et al., 2022)

Further, the challenge of assessing and choosing pertinent information escalates

with the proliferation of varied sources and content (Schmitt et al., 2018)

Travelers typically participate in information search behaviors during the pre-trip

planning phase of the trip planning process to make several selections regarding

their vacation itinerary Moreover, Zillifro and Morais (2004) claim that the

tourism industry's inherent characteristics are typically considered as intangible

elements of service performance, which subsequently results in a dearth of

transparency in the process of delivering services to the final consumers Social

media users are confronted with an abundance of information that surpasses their

cognitive capacity to process, which initiates the adverse effects of relying on

technological assistance to disseminate information (Liu et al., 2021) About

online-generated content by prior experienced travelers, the consequences

currently occurs as asymmetry of given information and opportunistic behaviors on

virtual platforms among online users This exemplifies the significance of

individuals’ participation and contribution in the discussion surrounding generated

sources.

Second, highly considerable aspects from UGC studies need to be criticized

for further arguments Given the profound and far-reaching influence that

information technologies have exerted on the travel sector, it is unsurprising that

smart tourism has generated considerable research interest Integration of smart

technologies with municipal sources has resulted in technology having a

substantial impact on the tourism industry in numerous ways (Huang et al., 2017)

Tourism destinations have adopted intelligent technologies, including mobile

communication, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of

Things, to visitors’ experiences (Jeong & Shin, 2019) Although smart

technologies have been extensively used to enhance tourist experiences at smart

tourism locations, there has been limited research on these destinations Most past

studies have mostly concentrated on characterizing and exploiting smart

technology within the framework of analysis For instance, previous studies have

investigated m-devices, including smartphones, and their applications, enabling

advanced decision-making for all parties involved, reflecting the growing

advancement of smart tourism (Dorcic et al., 2019) Recently, the use of

personalized location-based mobile apps and virtual travel experiences is widely

employed in advance tourism experience by constantly changing environment and

turbulent technology (An et al., 2021; Chen & Tsai, 2019) Further, a substantial

number of contemporary studies have been manipulated to emphasize

conventional information categories or the psychological mechanism, and to

quantify the extent to which digital and physical stimuli influence behavioral

responses This study on the viewpoints of online-generated content, subsequently,

still needs to enlarge the understanding in numerous different perspectives

regarding the use and whatever smart technology can do for vacationers to

improve their experience at their destination experience and well-prepared

activities for their trip, including content seeking and searching, accommodation

alternatives, and sharing “how-to-get-there”, tips for preparation and relevant

activities

Third, few sectors or industries are appropriate for employing the concept

of trust, despite its widespread use as an effective marketing implement Recently,

there has been an increasing tendency among Internet and online systems with

distinct “anonymous” feature enabling to express and discuss universally

everything which they do not know each other before (H A Lee et al., 2011;

Mkono, 2018; Munar & Jacobsen, 2013) Then the level of accuracy and

credibility is importantly investigated for perceived online content in decision

making process Subsequently, the degree of precision and trustworthiness is

crucially examined when evaluating online information for the purpose of

decision-making Typically, the previous study may effectively capture the

attention to measure specific components that have a significant impact on

building the user's trust, especially in uncertain situations (L Wang et al., 2014)

One controversial matter concerning the reliability of social media is the potential

for biased and fraudulent positive or negative reviews to be posted by anonymous

professionals on behalf of certain companies This practice aims to generate

favorable comments or reviews for themselves while tarnishing the reputation of

their competitors (Berhanu & Raj, 2020) Further, the past study reveals the

interesting results of personal identifying information as intervening role to help

reduce substantially the degree of anonymity in experience dissonances and

travel-related decisions (Garg & Pandey, 2020)

Fourth, the given disasters and crises delivered emerging notifications to

travelling and sharing that might have triggered fear and stress (Rivera, 2020)

Furthermore, the relative consequences of apprehension about health may have

been increased among tourists as significant concerns when making a decision for

destinations and even intra-activities at places Many studies have attempted to

exemplify the major antecedences of destination image to predict the likelihood of

revisiting intra-pandemic destinations, including planned travel behaviors (J Li et

al., 2020; Lu & Atadil, 2021; Rasoolimanesh et al., 2021), revisit intention by

media coverage (Deng et al., 2021) and destination’s risk regulation (Sun et al.,

2022) Nevertheless, significant research gaps still remain due to the increasing

rate of travelers’ perception enlightening differences between revisiting with

and/or without prior experiences about physical and psychological concerns,

especially international destinations at states or countries in new returns of tourism

and hospitality Additionally, the tourism literature has established many empirical

and theoretical underpinnings of health-related risk perception or emerging

concerns during the planned trip (Kim et al., 2021a), and even preventative travel

behavior (Huang et al., 2020) Worse still, the uncertainty and ambiguous

perception of high-risk activities and fears in social media sources led to

significant reductions in travel demand (Zheng et al., 202la) While two

dimensions of risk, such as perceived severity and perceived susceptibility, have

recently been investigated as major predictors to enlighten the importance of

health risks (Huang et al., 2020), a detailed consideration of the tourism literature

reveals that the perceived psychological risk is still lacking discussion despite its

significance in travel decisions, especially information seeking in pre-state as

indicated in this paper Regarding the behavioral outcomes, the most recent studies

have predicted travelers’ intention and behavior to revisit both domestic and

international routes (Ivanova et al., 2021; Li et al., 2021; Xie et al., 2021; Zheng et

al., 2021a), yet the latest papers in existence have investigated the potential

outcomes during post-pandemic and post-traumatic tourism behavior, especially

their information seeking involvement and conation

Fifth, the process of searching for information before a purchase is one of

the most essential and complex aspects of the consumer decision-making process

This is especially true for highly competitive businesses, such as the hospitality

industry, where significant risks are connected with the products due to the

experiential and intangible character of their services (Xiang et al., 2015)

Furthermore, notwithstanding the fact that hospitality products typically command

higher prices compared to other products consumers buy on a regular basis, an

overwhelming majority of consumers still buy them without first experiencing

them (Cetin & Walls, 2016) Regarding the significant attention to pre-purchase

information search, however, improvements in online and mobile technologies

over the past several years have drastically altered how customers of the

hospitality and tourism sector obtain information and choose to make purchases

(Confente & Vigolo, 2018; Haddad & de Nazelle, 2018; Leung et al., 2023;

Patwary & Khattak, 2022) The literature of information seeking behavior has

become sophisticated in various extreme sectors such as pre-travel health

advice-seeking behavior (Kain et al., 2019; LaRocque et al., 2010), health information

seeking behavior in digital age (Jacobs et al., 2017), seeking behavior of artist

administrators and research scientists and physicians (Hemminger et al., 2007;

Zach, 2006) in the past few years In perspectives of smart tourism destination

recently, the proliferation of new technologies, the expansion of tourist purchase

spending and the ambitions of destinations are influencing the future of tourism

(Garcia-Milon et al., 2020) Despite the phenomenal growth across sectors, there is

a dearth of empirical studies that designate the role of online-generated contents

and situational-crisis psychological risk and overall cognitive and affective image

in facilitating online planning behavior, such as the online activities of pre-travel

preparation of individual tourists

Subsequently, it is imperative to expand this research to address the

identified gaps and challenges within the existing literature on the tourism

industry By delving deeper into these issues, we can develop more effective

strategies for enhancing tourism services This includes integrating user-generated

content from previous travelers, which provides valuable insights into traveler

experiences and preferences Furthermore, it is crucial to consider

non-content-based factors, such as trustworthiness and credibility, that significantly influence

tourists’ online planning behavior and e-trust during the decision-making process

Addressing these factors will not only improve the accuracy and reliability of

travel-related information but also foster greater confidence among potential

travelers, ultimately enhancing their overall experience and satisfaction

1.3 Research objectives

The general objective of the investigation "Pre-Travel Consumer Responses

Towards User-Generated Content (UGC) For Travel Planning — A Perspective of

Destination Image and Personality Among Domestic Tourists on Social

Networking and Sharing Sites in Vietnam" is to comprehensively understand how

UGC influences the travel planning process by shaping destination image and

accounting for individual personality differences This investigation aims to bridge

the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical applications in the context of

digital tourism marketing Systematically, the investigation aims to provide a

nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics between UGC, destination

image, and personality traits, offering both theoretical contributions to the field of

digital tourism research and practical guidelines for enhancing travel planning and

decision-making processes among domestic tourists in Vietnam Then, the

objectives should be elaborated as

- To examine the understanding of tourism sector and stimulus antecedents of

online-generated content and personal psychological perspective, namely

Understandability, Novelty, Valence, Reviewer expertise and Perceived

psychological risk; and its relationships to overall destination image formation

and final outcomes generated as online planning behavior among domestic

tourists in Vietnam

- To explore the online planning behavior toward destination in the use of

online-generated content through investigating the mediating role of overall

image evaluation and e-trust; and new moderating role of personality

- To shed light on the findings and recommendation delivering the meaningful

applications and implications to practitioners, tourism service

providers/agencies and researchers in hospitality and tourism industry,

especially in tech-based tourism and smart tourism

1.4 Research questions

By adopting the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework to

examine communication processes and consumer behavioral responses on virtual

platforms, this study endeavors to resolve prevailing challenges, bridge existing

knowledge gaps, and attain the specified objectives Through this theoretical lens,

the research seeks to deliver insightful and thorough answers to the following

research questions as

- What are the antecedents of online-generated content and _ personal

psychological perspective that influencing consumer behavioral responses on

social networking and sharing sites during pre-travel stage toward destination?

- How do the effect of overall destination image, level of e-trust and tourists

‘personality contribute to the online behavioral responses during their decision

process of pre-travel stage?

- In what specific ways do the implications of online-generated content and

consumer perception of psychological perspectives benefit relevant

stakeholders, including practitioners, tourism service providers/agencies, and

researchers?

1.5 Research scope

This study investigates how UGC shapes travel planning behaviors among Gen Yand Gen Z The theoretical foundation includes the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR)

framework, which elucidates how UGC (stimulus) impacts tourists' internal states

(organism) and subsequently influences their travel behaviors (response) The

(central and peripheral) through which these generations process and evaluate online

content The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides insights into how attitudes,

subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control contribute to travel intentions and

actions Additionally, Social Learning Theory highlights the role of observational

learning and modeling in shaping travel behaviors, while Protection Motivation Theory

(PMT) explores how perceptions of travel risks and protective behaviors influence

planning decisions

Practically, the research targets respondents from Gen Y and Gen Z who activelyengage in travel-related online activities It delves into how these individuals utilizeUGC to gather information, enhance e-trust, mitigate psychological risks, and engage

with social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube The study aims to

understand how these dynamic generations leverage their digital competencies to prepare

for travel, avoid potential psychological pitfalls, and trust online recommendations

By focusing on these platforms, the research seeks to provide comprehensiveinsights into the digital behaviors of domestic tourists in Vietnam The findings are

intended to offer valuable implications for tourism marketers and service providers,

enabling them to craft high-quality, credible, and engaging content that fosters trust and

enhances the overall travel planning experience This investigation ultimately aims to

advance the field of tech-based and smart tourism, offering practical guidelines for

improving digital marketing strategies and enriching the travel experiences of tech-savvy

tourists

1.6 Contributions of the research

1.6.1 Theoretical contributions

This research is conducted with a sense of responsibility to provide

contributions in terms of both theoretical and practical perspectives on the

significant effects of factors related to online-generated content among young

domestic tourists in Vietnam

First, the investigation of online-generated content in tourism are significant

in addressing the complexities of the information-rich digital environment This

study delves into the challenges posed by the excessive amount of information

available to tourists, who often face uncertainty due to the abundance and

variability of information sources By exploring how tourists interact with and

utilize online content, researchers can uncover patterns and behaviors that inform

decision-making processes This line of inquiry provides a framework for

understanding how tourists sift through vast amounts of data to make informed

travel decisions Furthermore, it highlights the importance of information quality

and credibility, offering insights into how tourists discern trustworthy sources

amidst the digital noise Ultimately, this research enhances theoretical

understanding of information processing in tourism, guiding the development of

more effective online content strategies and decision-support systems for the

tourism industry

Second, this study inquiry investigates how these technologies can

transcend existing research boundaries, offering a nuanced understanding of their

transformative capabilities in tourism By examining the integration and

application of smart technologies, scholars discern how these innovations enhance

tourist experiences through personalized and contextually sensitive services

Furthermore, this research delves into the dynamic interplay between technology

and tourism, illuminating how intelligent systems optimize information

dissemination and utilization Moreover, it critically examines consumer e-trust

issues concerning advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, exploring how

trust barriers impact technology adoption and effectiveness Ultimately, these

theoretical insights inform the development of sophisticated smart tourism

strategies that leverage technological advancements to elevate tourist experiences

while addressing crucial trust-related concerns

Third, the integration of cognitive and affective elements in tourism

perceptions, addressing the anonymity limitations of the Internet and smart

tourism This two-dimensional approach considers how the dynamic

characteristics of these tech-savvy generations—such as their digital fluency and

preference for personalized experiences—shape their cognitive assessments and

emotional responses to smart technologies By providing a comprehensive

framework, this research offers deeper insights into the unique behaviors and

preferences of Gen Y and Gen Z, facilitating the development of more effective

and engaging tourism strategies tailored to these groups Also, this study has

demonstrated that incorporating tourists’ personality traits plays an essential part in

enhancing the association between the mental evaluation of a destination and the

process of being well-prepared through taking advantage of the Internet and

advanced tourism technologies, including social networking and sharing sites,

online recommendation systems, online review communities, and so on Therefore,

the traits of each individual indicate their distinct formation of opinions and

sentiments, as well as their corresponding digital responses towards the destination

and the overall experience of the journey

Fourth, the understanding of perceived psychological risk elucidates how

anxiety and fear, influenced by online content, affect destination image and e-trust

It differentiates the impacts on experienced and inexperienced travelers, with

experienced travelers showing greater resilience This research framework

highlights the importance of psychological factors in shaping travel behavior and

offers strategies for effective risk communication and trust-building to enhance

tourist experiences, contributing significantly to tourism management and

destination marketing

Fifth, this study significantly enhances the existing literature by analyzing

the influence of content-based and non-content-based factors on tourists’ online

planning behavior It examines the effects of Internet-based knowledge sharing

and exchange, as well as subsequent searching behaviors for activities, itineraries,

and concerns about specific destinations post-selection The research also offers

strategic recommendations to improve the planning experience within the tourism

sector By illuminating the transformative impact of technological advancements

on pre-trip planning, this study underscores how travel preparation aids tourists in

decision-making and expectation-setting for upcoming trips Access to information

profoundly shapes various aspects of their decisions, particularly in destination

selection and information-seeking, which are pivotal to the overall trip experience

1.6.2 Practical contributions

From a practical perspective, this investigation contributes to a multitude of

noteworthy implications for marketing and communication efforts within the

tourism and hospitality sector in Vietnam

First, given the widespread dissemination of travel-related information on

social media, interactive websites, and independent review sites, it is crucial for

hospitality and tourism providers to establish an effective digital presence and

utilize interactive corporate websites to reach a diverse audience Understanding

the behaviors and preferences of Vietnamese consumers, particularly the digitally

savvy cohort, is of paramount importance for travel and tourism companies aiming

to expand their market share in this region For example, several online travel

communities, including TripAdvisor, Airbnb, Travel Massive, Lonely Planet, and

gender-specific communities like Wovoyage and WOW Club (exclusive

all-women travel community), are making significant efforts to penetrate the

Vietnamese tourism market In this context, gaining a deeper understanding of the

online planning behavior of Vietnamese consumers in these communities during

the pre-trip stage offers substantial and practical benefits for travel and tourism

companies This study finds that dynamic and young tourists in online travel

communities provide value to Vietnamese users by offering original and new

information, clear and comprehensible content, and balanced perspectives that

include both positive and negative aspects Additionally, these communities enable

users to distinguish between the credibility of experts and their own perceptions of

uncertainties Therefore, it is particularly important for online travel communities

to develop their digital environments in ways that facilitate personalized

experiences, cognitive and emotional immersion, and interpersonal interaction and

connection for domestic tourists By doing so, these communities can enhance user

engagement and satisfaction, ultimately contributing to the growth and success of

the tourism industry

Second, as indicated by the study's results, it is imperative for organizations

to proactively monitor and manage all types of user-generated content (including

information, ratings, comments, images, and videos) shared on online platforms

associated with their business activities and presence Additionally, they should

strive to enhance the credibility of content creators to increase the value of the

information disseminated online; doing so would enable them to optimize the

positive impact on user behavior Tourism providers are encouraged to leverage

the expertise of experienced travelers, influential individuals, and celebrities as

endorsements to further promote their activities These individuals can provide

credible information in the form of written content, videos, and photographs, in

addition to corporate endorsements for advertising and marketing communications

When formulating their strategies, content-generating platforms must emphasize

the cost-saving and functionality-enhancing advantages of their platforms for the

benefit of their users For instance, providing additional valuable information

regarding properties and their attributes (such as room cleanliness, room size,

available amenities, parking, and Wi-Fi), as well as information about the

surrounding area and city (including prominent tourist destinations and the best

times to visit due to weather conditions or events), can increase travelers’

motivation to use online reviews or a specific user-generated content platform

Finally, the study's findings provide valuable insights into the tourism

industry regarding the enhancement of services for an increasing number of

travelers across specific cohorts It is recommended that destination managers,

service providers, and marketers implement strategies to mitigate various common

uncertainties, particularly psychological insecurities related to the destination and

personal assumptions, especially among youthful and active travelers Travelers

frequently rely on reviews to evaluate the trustworthiness of the

platforms/websites hosting user-generated content, as well as the credibility of the

users themselves Furthermore, practitioners and businesses in the tourism industry

should place greater emphasis on leveraging the sector's potential attributes, such

as algorithmic systems that monitor online users' activity histories and identify

fake information sources The primary goal is to monitor users who produce an

excessive number of review posts compared to others, while also evaluating the

relevance and timeliness of specific posts Tourism providers and marketers can

encourage potential travelers by devising marketing strategies that mitigate

perceived risks By directing promotional campaigns towards destination

components that foster a sense of trust among young and vibrant tourists, they can

help develop a favorable attitude towards the destination Moreover, considering

the significant importance of online psychological-social support, destination

marketers should highlight the presence of online communities where travelers can

share their experiences, establish meaningful connections, and offer assistance to

others This approach can enhance the overall travel experience and foster a

supportive environment for potential travelers

1.7 Structure of research

Chapter 1: Introduction

The introduction provides a foundational overview of the research,

outlining its significance, objectives, and scope It begins with background

information to contextualize the study, followed by a clear problem statement that

identifies the gap in existing knowledge the research aims to address The research

objectives and questions or hypotheses are then presented, establishing the specific

goals and inquiries guiding the study The scope of the research delineates its

boundaries, while the significance section explains the potential contributions and

impact of the research on the field

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The literature review systematically examines existing research and

theoretical frameworks relevant to the topic It starts by defining key concepts and

terms, then discusses the theoretical foundations that underpin the study A

comprehensive summary of empirical studies is provided, highlighting findings

from previous research that relate to the current investigation The review

identifies gaps in the literature, areas that have not been thoroughly explored,

which the current research seeks to address This section concludes with a

synthesis of the reviewed literature, showing how it informs and supports the

research

Chapter 3: Methodology

The methodology section outlines the research design and the methods used

for data collection and analysis It begins with a description of the research design,

specifying whether the study is qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods The

target population and sampling techniques are detailed, followed by an explanation

of the data collection methods, such as surveys, interviews, or experiments Data

analysis methods are then described, including the techniques used to process and

interpret the data The section also addresses the validity and reliability of the data,

ensuring accuracy and consistency, and discusses any ethical considerations

involved in the research process

Chapter 4: Finding (Result and Discussion)

This section presents and interprets the research findings in relation to the

research questions and the literature review The results are displayed using tables,

figures, and charts to provide a clear and concise presentation of the data The

discussion interprets these results, linking them back to the research objectives and

comparing them with findings from previous studies This comparison highlights

consistencies or discrepancies with existing research The implications of the

findings are also discussed, explaining their significance for theory, practice, and

future research directions

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Implication

The conclusions and implications section summarizes the key findings of

the research and discusses their broader impact It begins with a summary of the

main results, then explores the theoretical implications, showing how the findings

contribute to or challenge existing theories Practical implications are also

considered, detailing how the results can be applied in real-world contexts The

section acknowledges the limitations of the study, suggesting areas for

improvement and caution in interpreting the results Finally, recommendations for

future research are provided, offering directions for further investigation to build

on the current study

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

The Literature Review section of this dissertation provides a comprehensive

overview of existing research related to the topic, establishing the theoretical and

empirical foundation for the study It identifies key themes, trends, and gaps in the

literature, thereby contextualizing the research questions and objectives By

critically analyzing previous studies, the review highlights the significance of the

current research and its potential contributions to the field Additionally, this

synthesis of literature not only situates the study within the broader academic

discourse but also demonstrates the necessity and relevance of the research

undertaken

2.1 Theoretical background

2.1.1 Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR)

The theoretical framework underlying this study is based on the

Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, initially proposed by environmental

psychologists Mehrabian and Russell (1974), as depicted in Figure 2.1 This model

explores the impact of environmental aspects on actual behavior, with a strong

emphasis on emotional responses Donovan and Rossiter (1982) later adopted it to

examine its impact on buying behavior in specific service and retail settings

(Mummalaneni, 2005) Next, Bitner (1992) further incorporated physiological and

cognitive states of individuals, advancing the expansion of the S-O-R theory in the

service sectors Jacoby (2002) later reformed the model, providing a theoretical

base for conducting an integrative framework with additional support According

to the S-O-R theory, individuals respond to circumstances in two broad manners:

Approach behaviors encompass all positive acts, such as the propensity to

investigate, remain, interact, or engage in beneficial activities Conversely,

avoidance behaviors include actions individuals use to evade or divert their

attention from challenging thoughts, emotions, and circumstances The S-O-R

model is an exceptionally valuable instrument for investigating how environmental

stimuli influence the cognitive and affective states of individuals, resulting in

corresponding responses It also delineates the behavioral responses exhibited by

the organism (Islam & Rahman, 2017) Furthermore, it highlights the association

among the three constructs: stimulus, organism, and behavioral response, with the

organism mediating between stimulus and response (Kihlstrom, 1987) The

application of the S-O-R model has been broadened to encompass additional

contexts, such as advertising (Olney et al., 1991), computer experience (Eroglu et

al., 2003), website practical and experience (Mollen & Wilson, 2010), and and

various aspects of consumer behavior

The Environment (S) Behavioral

Primary

R Responses

Sense modality Emotional

i Responses (O)

Approach-variables (e.g., color p Avoidance (R)

and temperature) > Pl »!

¢ Pleasure A A: A ụ i (Which includes

E a ° rousal

Information rate ; physical approach,

¢ Dominance (Characterizing the exploration,

spatial and temporal x affiliation,

relationships among performance, or other

the stimulus verbal and non-verbal

components of an Characteristic communications of

environment) emotions preference)

associated with personality

Figure 2.1 Key attributes of SOR framework

Sources: Adopted from Mehrabian and Russell (1974)

The stimulus, one of the three fundamental elements comprising the S-O-R

approach, is initially conceptualized as physical atmospheric components that

elicit or provoke consumer responses or affect various internal states of consumers

and consumer groups (Eroglu, Machleit, & Davis, 2001; Sherman, Mathur, &