The influence of social media content on attitude, destination image and intention of female Muslim travelers to visit halal destinations: comparison between UGC and FGC

Purpose This study aims to investigate how user-generated content (UGC) and firm-generated content (FGC) in social media affect attitudes toward halal tourism destinations, destination image and visit intentions among female Muslim (Muslimah) travelers. It also examines the role of travel habits as the moderating variable. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (TIB) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore the motivation of Muslimah travelers to visit halal destinations. The survey was completed by 284 Indonesian Muslimah respondents who had visited halal tourism destinations in Indonesia. The SEM-PLS statistical technique was used to verify the associations between variables. Findings This study’s findings offer valuable insights for both theoretical understanding and practical applications. They suggest that both UGC and FGC significantly predict attitudes toward halal tourism and destination image, thereby influencing the visiting intentions of Muslimah travelers. Although UGC does not directly influence visiting intentions, it does play a significant role in shaping visiting intentions through its mediating effect on attitudes toward halal tourism destinations. In addition, the results indicate that habit positively moderates the relationship between attitudes toward halal tourism and visiting intentions. Originality/value This research contributes uniquely and significantly in two aspects. First, it merges the TIB with the TPB to elucidate the decision-making process of Muslimah travelers when selecting halal destinations. This integration illuminates new insights into the intentions of Muslimah tourists. Second, this study examines the respective influences of UGC and FGC on the visiting intentions of Muslimah travelers to halal tourism destinations. By comparing UGC and FGC, the research provides valuable insights into the decision-making processes of Muslimah tourists. Given Indonesia’s status as home to the largest Muslim population globally, this study offers a novel perspective on the traveling behavior of Muslimahs and practical recommendations for the Indonesian tourism sector in the establishment and promotion of Muslim-friendly destinations within the country.