Comparing Web sites: An Experiment in Online Tourism Marketing

Abstract

Issues of importance to the tourism and marketing fields are investigated in this study. Of specific significance is the issue of credibility to both message strength and acceptance, which has been shown to lead to higher beliefs, attitude toward the destination and then to purchase intent. Credibility is critical due to the intangible nature of the tourism product and the risk associated with destination selection. The purpose of this research is to examine the persuasive effects of Web sites on the effectiveness of marketing a tourist destination. Specifically this research attempts to test whether there is a difference between the persuasiveness of various tourism sites. Dependent variables include perceived credibility, message strength, and purchase intent. Results support the importance of message credibility to message strength, but not to a change in purchase intent. Implications for marketers are suggested.