Tourists' attachment processes and behavioral changes in social media: Persuasion and reference group influence perspective

As the recent travel trend has changed from package-oriented group travels to free independent travels (FIT), individual travellers are in a situation in which they have to search more information than ever before. By the nature of travel, travel information is searched out of various information sources. In recent years, social media has played an important role. Unlike other types of communication media, social media not only provides users with information, but also allows them to know who the source of the information is. Therefore, travellers can use the respective information with more confidence. However, existing studies have not fully reflected the characteristics of social media as a travel information source. In this respect, the present study intends to empirically verify how social media, which is newly drawing great attention as a travel information source, changes traveller behaviors using the theories of the elaboration likelihood model and reference group influence, and thereafter, provide the implications of the study findings.