ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH PLATFORMS TOWARDS PURCHASE INTENTION FOR DOMESTIC TRAVEL PRODUCTS IN INDONESIA

• Main Author: Agil Paringaning Gusti, Affan
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/80868
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has become a vital factor in travel decision-making, whether it be purchasing hotel accommodations or tickets for activities. Ranging from social media, travel social networks, travel review sites, and many more, the emergence of many eWOM platforms have brought to question which eWOM platforms are most effective. Previous similar research conducted in the United Kingdom proved that social media eWOM has a stronger influence on purchase intention than on shopping websites. However, recent research shows that Indonesian domestic travelers prefer seeking information on social media rather than websites. This research asks the question whether different demographics and different product types would produce different results. Comparing eWOM platforms can be conducted by dissecting eWOM into four factors which describe the credibility, quality, adoption, and perceived risk. Hence, this research aims to examine the determinants of eWOM in comparison against two popular eWOM platforms in Indonesia: social media and online travel agents (OTAs). Using adaptations of the Information Acceptance Model (IACM), this research will compare the strength of eWOM influence on the two platforms. Due to previous research and reports, this research examines whether eWOM on social media has a stronger effect on consumers’ purchase intention than eWOM on OTAs using determinants of eWOM. Data was collected among 105 respondents through a survey distributed between August 2023 and December 2023. Multiple linear regression was used to reveal significant results that support the claim that social media eWOM has a stronger influence on consumers’ travel purchase intentions than OTA eWOM. While three of the four determinants prove to support the claim, perceived risk eWOM on social media was not proved to have a stronger influence than perceived risk eWOM on OTAs. This research provides marketers with insights on which platforms are effective to manage eWOM for their marketing strategies. Furthermore, the results of this research also aims to contribute to the extensive literature regarding eWOM, its determinants and its platforms.