Unboxing the paradox of social media user-generated content (UGC) information qualities and tourist behaviour: moderating effect of perceived travel risk

PurposeThis study utilised Mehrabian and Russel's stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model to investigate the inter-relationship between perceived social media information qualities (IQ) of online UGC, destination image, perceived travel risk and behavioural intentions.Design/methodology/approachA total of 255 responses from international tourists were collected. The data collection via an online survey was performed from October 2020 to February 2021. The study model and hypotheses were examined using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe result indicated that social media intrinsic, representational, and social IQ significantly influenced tourists perceived cognitive image, while only contextual and social IQ significantly predicted the perceived affective image. This study also confirms the significant effect of cognitive image on the affective image. In addition, the authors found that both destination image components, cognitive and affective, significantly affect tourists' behavioural intentions. However, surprisingly, tourists' perceived travel risk did not moderate the effect of destination image components on behavioural intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the body of knowledge by extending Mehrabian and Russel's SOR model in the tourism behaviour context.Practical implicationsFrom a practical perspective, this study proves that UGC significantly affects destination image and plays an integral part in luring tourists to visit a destination.Originality/valuePrevious research in this area is limited, making this study particularly novel. This study represents one of the initial attempts to evaluate the dimensions of information quality in UGC on social media and online review platforms, particularly within the field of tourism. Treating online travel UGC seriously could assist organisations in leveraging tourist behaviour and enhancing destination image.