From user-generated content and electronic word of mouth to check-in behavior: the mediating role of destination self-congruity across cultural orientations

Purpose Tourism check-ins publicly associate visitors with destinations, making location sharing an identity-relevant and socially visible behavior. This study examines how perceived user-generated content (UGC) quality and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) are associated with destination self-congruity (DSC) and self-reported check-in behavior (CIB). It further investigates the mediating role of DSC, the moderating roles of platform trust and social pressure, and differences between independent- and interdependent-self-construal groups. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 1,050 international visitors in China. UGC quality and eWOM were modeled as reflective–formative higher-order constructs comprising relevance, accuracy, and attractiveness, and credibility, trustworthiness, and persuasiveness, respectively. The model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Measurement invariance was examined through MICOM before conducting PLS multi-group analysis based on respondents' dominant self-construal orientation. Findings UGC quality and eWOM were positively associated with DSC in both groups, while the corresponding between-group differences were nonsignificant. The DSC–CIB relationship and both DSC-mediated relationships were stronger among independent-dominant respondents. In contrast, the direct eWOM–CIB relationship and the social pressure-conditioned UGC–CIB relationship were stronger among interdependent-dominant respondents. Differences involving platform trust and the social pressure × DSC interaction were unsupported at the 0.05 level. Originality/value The findings identify DSC as an identity-relevant mechanism connecting perceived digital tourism information with self-reported CIB and position individual-level self-construal as a boundary condition of selected relationships. The study also differentiates the constituent dimensions of UGC and eWOM and informs responsible digital-destination communication, particularly regarding privacy-sensitive location sharing and the potential concentration of attention around highly visible places.