Predictors of e-trust for Web-based travel intermediaries: a survey on Istanbul visitors

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting e-trust perception of tourists using Web-based travel intermediaries (WBTIs). Cognitive and affective attitude components are believed to be important in assessing the e-trust perception of tourists. However, this paper aims to investigate if self-efficacy would be an important predictor for e-trust in the context of WBTIs.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative research method is used in this study. Data were collected by the survey method from the tourists who visited Istanbul/Turkey and made their bookings via Web-based travel intermediaries. Hierarchical linear regression analysis is used to investigate to which extent age/gender/years of usage, self-efficacy, cognitive and affective components are affecting tourists’ e-trust perception.

Findings

According to the study results, self-efficacy, the attitude components, in addition to the demographic variables, predict a significant amount of variance (45%) in e-trust for Web-based travel intermediaries. Besides attitude components, self-efficacy is put forward as significantly important in the perception of e-trust.

Originality/value

The novelty of the current study is that it uses hierarchical regression to test if self-efficacy would be an important predictor for e-trust while examining the effect of various predictive variables in sequential order. Therefore, the relative importance of this e-trust predictor can be evaluated based on how much it contributes to the prediction over and above other important antecedents of e-trust according to the literature. This study provides evidence that the social cognitive theory may be useful in understanding e-trust in online tourist behavior.

论网络旅游中介的网络信任的原因：调研伊斯坦布尔游客

研究目的

本论文旨在调研影响网络旅游中介（WBTIs）的游客网络信任的各项因子。认知与态度因素是形成游客的网络信任的重要方面。然而, 本论文旨在研究是否自我效能感对于WBTIs的网络信任构成重要的影响因子。

研究设计/方法/途径

本论文采用定量分析法。数据采用问卷形式采集, 样本人群为伊斯坦布尔/土耳其的游客, 他们通过网络旅游中介订购他们的旅程。本论文采用层次回归分析法来检测年龄/性别/使用年份, 自我效能感, 认知与态度因子, 在何种程度上影响旅游的网络信任感知。

研究结果

研究结果表明, 自我效能感, 态度成分, 以及人口统计变量, 解释了WBTIs网络信任的45%变量方差。除了态度因子, 系我效能对于网络信任起到显著的促进作用。

研究原创性/价值

本论文的特别之处在于其使用了层次回归分析法检测了是否自我效能感对于影响网络信任, 同时又检验了各种预测变量作用的大小层次。因此, 每个信任预测因子的作用大小可以根据其对预测方差的大小比较来判断。本论文提出社会认知理论对理解在线旅游行为的网络信任有着显著帮助。

Citation

Çiftçi, Ş.F. and Çizel, B. (2020), "Predictors of e-trust for Web-based travel intermediaries: a survey on Istanbul visitors", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 667-680. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-02-2019-0037