Why Chinese travelers use WeChat to make hotel choice decisions: A uses and gratifications theory perspective

Abstract

WeChat, a Chinese multi-purpose messaging, social media, and mobile payment app, is an emerging social media platform that has been integrated into the daily lives of Chinese people, including travel. However, despite the growing proliferation of WeChat, surprisingly, little attention has been paid to the gratifications obtained by Chinese travelers when using WeChat in travel-related decision-making. Adopting (utilizing) the well ground concept of Uses and Gratifications theory (UGT), this exploratory work aims to address this void in prior literature and identify why and how Chinese young travelers use WeChat to make hotel choice decisions.Findings stemmed from the semi-structured interviews using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling approaches with eighteen WeChat users reveal that hotel choice decisions through WeChat are influenced by a combination of social, process, and content gratifications. As indicated in our findings, hotels in China should be aware of gratifications obtained by travelers in stimulating them to utilize WeChat in the hotel selection process. Further, our work contributes to extant UGT literature by emphasizing that it has specific relevance and should be given more prominence within tourism and hospitality, and social media literature.

How Travel Vlogs on YouTube Influence Consumer Behavior: A Use and Gratification Perspective and Customer Engagement

“…Nevertheless, the study results were not adequate in discussing what motivates viewers to watch travel vlogs. Gamage et al [18] apply a use and gratification (U&G) perspective to identify why and how tourists make travel decisions influenced by social satisfaction, process, and content.…”

“…It fails to differentiate between video categories. The data set used does not accurately reflect the video content Gamage et al [18] Variable: UGT theory (social satisfaction, process, and content), decision-making Result: The factors that influence consumer choice decisions include social satisfaction, processes, and content.…”

“…In Tafesse's study [17], the effect of video optimization practices on viewer engagement is examined after watching a travel vlog. Gamage et al [18] suggest that social satisfaction, process, and content influence tourist choices. The current study has identified a research gap in applying the U&G perspective to YouTube travel videos to investigate travel behaviors.…”

Scale Construction and Validation of Uses and Gratifications Motivations for Smartphone Use by Tourists: A Multilevel Approach

“…Hur et al [30] investigated the factors affecting social media continuance and information sharing with a lens of uses and gratifications theory in the travel and tourism. Gamage et al [31] also investigated gratifications obtained by Chinese tourists while utilizing WeChat system in making hotel selection decisions based on the uses and gratifications theory. The reported studies above mainly examined different information technology.…”

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