From Intention to Use: A TAM-Based Analysis of Social Media Adoption in Lodging SMEs in Cantabria

The adoption of social media by businesses continues to be a relevant topic in research and professional practice, although there is still disagreement regarding the factors that explain its adoption, particularly among small and medium-sized tourism businesses. This study analyses the adoption of social media by lodging businesses in Cantabria (Spain) using the Technology Acceptance Model as an analytical framework. Based on empirical research conducted with a sample of 102 hotel owners and managers, a structural equation model was estimated using SmartPLS to examine the role of ease of use and perceived usefulness in social media adoption. The results indicate that ease of use primarily facilitates adoption, while perceived usefulness emerges as the decisive factor in the strategic evaluation of these platforms. This pattern suggests that companies adopt social media when they identify clear benefits in terms of business, reputation, or customer relationships. The conclusions highlight the need for policies and practices that promote a more conscious and value-oriented integration of social technologies, understood as resources capable of strengthening both customer focus and business management and competitiveness in the tourism sector.