Examining the role of social media-based destination brand community in evoking tourists’ emotions and intention to co-create and visit
Journal of Product & Brand Management
ISSN: 1061-0421
Article publication date: 14 September 2020
Issue publication date: 28 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Using the stimulus-organism-response model as the theoretical basis, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a social media-based destination brand community (SMDBC) on tourists’ emotions, and the subsequent effect on the intention to co-create value and visit.
Design/methodology/approach
The theoretical framework was tested using survey data from 551 Chinese social media users who were followers of Japanese social media pages. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling was adopted to perform the latent variable analysis.
Findings
The findings reveal that SMDBC plays a considerable role in shaping tourists’ emotions, including joy, love and positive surprise, which, in turn, have a significant impact on consumers’ intention to co-create value and visit. Contrary to previous studies, the effect of joy on tourists’ intention to co-create and visit is found to be insignificant.
Research limitations/implications
The present study elucidates the importance and relevance of SMDBC in evoking tourists’ positive emotions, and subsequently their intention to co-create value and visit. Future research is recommended to compare and contrast SMDBC with other marketing and branding activities to provide greater insights into the phenomenon in a dynamic environment.
Practical implications
This study enables academics and business practitioners to better comprehend the effectiveness of SMDBC in driving tourists’ favourable assessment and behavioural intentions to improve resource allocation. In particular, destination marketers are recommended to optimise SMDBC and encourage discussion on SMDBC among users.
Originality/value
As literature in relation to the importance of SMDBC in evoking tourists’ emotions incorporating its link with tourists’ intention to co-create value and visit is relatively scarce, this study contributes to the branding and destination tourism research by empirically articulating the relevance of SMDBC in stimulating tourists’ emotions and subsequently value co-creation and visit intention.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for constructive comments offered by the anonymous reviewers.
Citation
Cheung, M.L., Ting, H., Cheah, J.-H. and Sharipudin, M.-N.S. (2021), "Examining the role of social media-based destination brand community in evoking tourists’ emotions and intention to co-create and visit", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 28-43. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2019-2554
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited