Electronic word-of-mouth on social networking sites: What inspires travelers to engage in opinion seeking, opinion passing, and opinion giving?

The rise of social media in the digital era has revolutionized the travel and tourism industry. Some people post their feedback about the places they visit on the internet, while others seek such information on the internet. This has heightened the interest in and value of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) manyfold. This research seeks to examine the factors that may influence travel-related eWOM behavior through social networking sites (SNSs). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied on data collected from 416 travelers who are users of SNSs. The results indicate that information quality and quantity are the two most significant factors that influence travel-related eWOM behavior. Additionally, the intention to use SNSs when making travel-related decisions in the future is the most prominent factor among all. The paper concludes with pragmatic suggestions for travel and tourism businesses to optimally utilize travel-related eWOM for improving their business and earning a competitive edge.