How tie strength and face consciousness moderate the impact of social media on impulsive travel intentions: a social-technical perspective

Abstract

Purpose

The surge of social media as a pivotal platform for individuals to access travel-related information has become increasingly significant. Drawing upon social-technical theory and weak tie theory, this study aims to delve into the antecedents and moderating variables shaping impulsive travel intentions within social media.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 696 Chinese social media users and travelers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The findings indicate that information quality and social network interaction significantly influence spatial presence, thereby increasing users’ impulsive travel intentions. The moderating roles of tie strength and face consciousness are confirmed. For travelers with strong ties, their spatial presence is impacted more by social network interaction. Conversely, for individuals with weak ties, spatial presence is more influenced by information quality. In addition, travelers with heightened face consciousness exhibit a diminished susceptibility to the influence of spatial presence on their travel intentions compared to those with lower face consciousness.

Originality/value

The study endeavors to extend the application of the social-technical theory in the domain of tourism social media marketing by examining the interplay of technological and social attributes on impulsive travel intention. It integrates weak tie theory into the socio-technical perspective, emphasizing the importance of weak ties in the social media environment and their influence on travel behavior. In addition, this study introduces face consciousness to the mechanism, seeking to broaden the research scope and capture the nuances of specific cultural contexts. The insights contribute valuable knowledge for destinations and tourism companies to optimize social media marketing.

研究目的

社交媒体作为个人获取旅行相关信息的重要平台, 其影响力日益显著。本研究基于社会技术理论和弱关系理论, 探讨社交媒体中塑造冲动旅行意图的前因和调节变量。

研究方法

本研究收集了696名中国社交媒体用户和旅行者的数据, 并采用偏最小二乘法结构方程建模（PLS-SEM）进行分析。

研究发现

研究结果表明, 信息质量和社交网络互动显著影响空间存在感, 从而增强用户的冲动旅行意图。研究确认了关系强度和面子意识的调节作用。对于有强关系的旅行者来说, 社交网络互动对他们的空间存在感影响更大。相反, 对于有弱关系的个体, 信息质量对空间存在感的影响更为显著。此外, 面子意识较强的旅行者在空间存在感对其旅行意图的影响上表现出更低的敏感性, 相较于面子意识较低的个体。

研究创新

本研究旨在扩展社会技术理论在旅游社交媒体营销领域的应用, 通过考察技术属性与社会属性对冲动旅行意图的相互作用。研究将弱关系理论融入社会技术视角, 强调了社交媒体环境中弱关系的重要性及其对旅行行为的影响。此外, 本研究引入了面子意识的机制, 旨在拓宽研究范围, 捕捉特定文化背景下的细微差异。研究结果为旅游目的地和公司优化社交媒体营销提供了宝贵的知识。

Citation

Li, L., Leung, X.Y. and Yang, L. (2024), "How tie strength and face consciousness moderate the impact of social media on impulsive travel intentions: a social-technical perspective", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-02-2024-0112