Evaluating the Influence of YouTube Vlogs on Hotel Booking Decisions: An Information Adoption Model Approach

Abstract

With the popularity of social media, YouTube Vlogs are playing a crucial role for travelers' hotel booking. YouTube Vloggers create videos of their travelling experiences and upload which help the novice travelers to make an informed choice about their decision on hotel booking. The current study examines what determines travelers to adopt information from YouTube Vlogs for online hotel bookings and how it influences their intentions. A research model was prepared and further, analyzed by sampling 256 Indian travelers who used YouTube Vlogs prior to their hotel booking. The hypotheses of this paper were analyzed by applying structural equation modeling (SEM) using partial least squares (PLS). The findings of this study identified that information quality, source credibility, and trust emerged as crucial factors influencing the adoption of YouTube Vlogs for hotel booking among travelers. This study expanded the information adoption model by introducing a new element, specifically the inclusion of the construct of trust.