VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI HUONG THANH PRE-TRAVEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TOWARDS USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC) FOR TRAVEL PLANNING - A PERSPECTIVE OF DESTINATION IMAGE AND PERSONALITY AMONG DOMESTIC TOURISTS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SHARING SITES IN VIETNAM DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ID: PBAIU19004 HO CHI MINH CITY - 2024 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI HUONG THANH PRE-TRAVEL CONSUMER RESPONSES TOWARDS USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC) FOR TRAVEL PLANNING - A PERSPECTIVE OF DESTINATION IMAGE AND PERSONALITY AMONG DOMESTIC TOURISTS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING AND SHARING SITES IN VIETNAM MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ID: PBAIU19004 SUPERVISOR ASSOC. HA MINH TRI HO CHI MINH CITY- 2024 ii DECLARATION The work presented in this thesis has been submitted as part of the PhD in Business Administration degree at International University, Vietnam National University, Vietnam. serves as a formal affirmation by the candidate that the research work presented is their own original contribution. It ensures that the thesis does not contain any material previously published or written by another individual, except where appropriate references are provided.
Additionally, the declaration certifies that the thesis has not been submitted, either in whole or in part, for any other degree or diploma at any other institution. This statement is fundamental in maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the academic work, underscoring the candidate's commitment to academic honesty and originality within the context of Vietnam National University's academic standards. Nguyen Thi Huong Thanh Vietnam February, 2024 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT The copyrights of a PhD thesis report submitted to the School of Business, International University, Vietnam National University, Vietnam, are retained by the author. ® This ensures that the author holds exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display the work, as well as to create derivative works.
e The thesis may be archived and made publicly accessible by the university in its institutional repository, respecting the author's intellectual property rights. ® Any reproduction or use of the thesis in whole or in part must acknowledge the original author and source, adhering to the university's guidelines on academic integrity and copyright law. ii REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS Ha, M. Recovery of international destination image and its consequence on trust and travel planning behaviour towards online generated contents in Vietnam.
Journal of International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 15(1), 61-88, DOI: 10. Online-generated contents fostering travel destination image formation: evidence in Vietnam during COVID-19 pandemic recovery. Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 15(2), 295-323, DOI: 10. Strengthening Information-Seeking Behavior Toward International Destinations Among Young Travelers in Vietnam During the Pandemic Recovery.
Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 13(2) (ACI- indexed) Thanh-Huong, N., Minh-Tri, Ha. Content-Based Attributes of Online Reviews and Its Role in Travel Decision: A PRISMA Method of Studies from 2009 to 2021 Vietnam. AGBA’s 2022 Conference Proceedings (Advances in Global Business Research) Vol. 1, ISSN: 1549-9332, Istanbul, Turkey.
[AGBA (USA), Millikin University (USA), Indian Institute of Management Rohtak (India), Antalya Bilim University (Turkyei), and KIMEP University] (Scopus-indexed) (Best Paper Award) iii OTHER RESEARCH AND CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS Ha, M. The use of dietary supplements and vitamin consumption during and after the Covid pandemic in Vietnam: a perspective of user-generated content. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-12. THT, Nguyen, TA, Phan (2023).
Online Generated-Contents Reinforce Travel Behavioral Intention at Pre-Trip Stage: Tourists in Vietnam during Covid-19 Pandemic. AMA Summer Academic Conference 2023 Conference Proceedings, 606-617 TA Phan, THT Nguyen, N Phan, BN Nguyen (2023). Factors Influencing Vietnamese Consumers’ Willingness to Purchase Fair Trade Products. AMA Winter Academic Conference 2023 Conference Proceedings, 734-740 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First, I want to send my special thanks and gratitude for the great support to my advisor, Dr Ha Minh Tri, who is very grateful for offering me the opportunity to complete a PhD project, as well as the other entire academic and research-related chances I have been able to embark on.
I am also appreciative to him providing needed encouragement, support and assistance as well as helping me at the entire important journey of PhD study. Furthermore, my advisor facilitates me to find me career aspirations in research by guiding me all the ways, and taking me to many domestic and international conferences to embrace the world of academia. Second, my deepest appreciations and gratefulness go to my delightful family for their nourishment and encouragement at both financial and emotional sides of life. My journey in life was started by my parents, who gave me their passion and values as well as thorough understanding; and my younger sister, Rachel, who positively inspired me with enduring her supportive mentality and her no-nonsense views of the world.
Additionally, my older cousin, Jenny, who enthusiastically devoted to be an empathetic listener and _ biggest companionship, shares with me for all in life and even when I’ve been in going- over time. Third, I also should acknowledge all leaders and colleagues at my workplace (Eastern International University) and teammates at my doctoral- program university (International University — Vietnam National University) respectively. I really appreciate their treasured times helping me in various research’s problems and concerns by discussing and sharing experience for better knowledge and enhancement. Also, thank you my university president, dean and head of department for understanding and taking care myself by flexible time and task arrangement during my study process.
Finally, a very special person who has always been with me through ups and downs at heart of life is my supportive man, Henry. Thank you for being so patient and preserving during years of study time though being far away from me by thousands of kilometers. You have been more than a life-partner to me; you’ve been an inspiration and a big “facilitator”. Thank you all.
vi GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION AVE Average Variance Extracted Al Artificial Intelligence CB-SEM Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling CFA Confirmatory Factor Analysis CMB Common Method Bias COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic In 2019 CR Composite Reliability de Geodesic Discrepancy DSTC Decision-Stages-By-Trip-Components duts Unweighted Least Squares Discrepancy EFA Exploratory Factor Analysis ELM Elaboration Likelihood Model eWOM Electronic Word-Of-Mouth HTMT Heterotrait-To-Monotrait Ratio of Correlation ICT Information And Communication Technology IoT Internet Of Things ISB Information Seeking Behavior KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Test KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin OTR Online Travel Reviews vii PLS-SEM Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling PMT Protection Motivation Theory RMSiheta Root Means Square Residual Covariance SEM Structural Equation Modeling SLT Social Learning Theory SMMR Standardized Root Mean Square Residual SNSS Social Networking and Sharing Sites SOR Stimulus-Organism-Response SPM Structuring And Processing Model SPSS Statistical Package for The Social Sciences SQRT (AVE) | Square Root of The Average Variance Extracted TPB Theory Of Planned Behavior TRA Theory Of Reasoned Action UGC User-Generated Content VIF Variance Inflation Factor VND Vietnamese Dong (Currency of Viet Nam) WOM Word-Of-Mouth viii DECLARATION. REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS. OTHER RESEARCH AND CONFERENCE PUBLICA TIONS.---- iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION. TABLE OF CONTENT.
LIST OF TABLES. LIST OF FIGURES.6 Contributions of the research 1.7 Structure of research CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.1 Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR).2 Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) 2.3 Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).4 Social Learning Theory (SLT).5 Protection motivation theory (PMT).6 The illustration of links between theoretical base and proposed framework.1 Online user-generated content (UGC) in tourism context.2 Domestic tourists in Vietnam as a blend of Millennials and Gen Z 2.3 Antecedents affecting travel destination choice 2.4 Overall destination image in tourism 2.6 Traveler’s personality and its moderating role 2.7 Consumer responses as travel online planning behavior.4 Data collection approaches and methods 3.1 Data collection approach 3.2 Data collection methods 3.6 Data analysis methods. CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH FINDINGS 4.3 Exploratory factor analy: 4.1 Common method bi: 4.2 Assessment of the measurement mode! 4.3 Assessment of structural model 4.4 Assessment of moderating role of personality .1 Overall destination image is triggered by understandability, valence, novelty 4.2 Overall destination image is triggered reviewer expertise and psychological risk.3 e-Trust is facilitated by the effects of non-content factors and its relation to tourists’ online planning behavior.4 A new mediating role of e-Trust and its associations .5 An integrated influence on consumer response toward pre-travel activities .6 A new exploration of personality dimension in tourism behavioral response .7 An embarking contribution of the blend of Gen Y and Gen Z toward travel behavior response. 147 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION 5.3 Limitations and future research REFERENCES.
APPENDIXES II LIST OF TABLES Table 1 The links between theoretical base and proposed framework. Table 2 Descriptions of Non-probabili Table 3 List of measurement items. Table 4 Profile of respondents. Table 5 Total scale scores for Cronbach's Alpha.
Table 6 Initial Rotated Pattern Matrix Table 7 Considerations of Item Eliminations in EFA Table 8 Final Rotated Pattern Matrix. Table 9 Measurement items with indicator loadings. Table 10 Internal Consistency Reliability. Table 11 Convergent validity (AVE — Average Variance Extracted) Table 12 Discriminant validity (Fornel-Lacker) Table 13 Discriminant validity (HTMT).
Table 14 Structural estimates of hypothe: Table 15 Indirect effect’s results Table 16 Specific Indirect Effects Table 17 Confirmation of structural paths and associations. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Key attributes of SOR framework.2 Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) Figure 2.3 The travel planning process.4 Proposed research model Figure 4.1 Results of the Hierarchical Structural Model Test Figure 4.2 Moderating role of Personality.3 Moderating role of Personality. ABSTRACT This paper aims to examine the critical antecedences of extended Theory Planned Behavior and Elaboration likelihood models, which affect consumers’ overall image formation and tourists’ online response for planning phase towards a particular destination through social networking and media sharing sites in the context of new recovery. Five antecedences of online content, namely Understandability, Valence, Novelty, incorporating Reviewer expertise and Perceived psychological risk, are being investigated to highlight the association with the mental evaluations of cognitive and affective aspects amongst travelers in Vietnam these days.
Then, this overall evaluation toward the destination is investigated to unveils the effects on travelers’ e-trust and their planning behavior digitally during the pre-travel stage. Data were collected through online self-administered survey platform by engaging 659 respondents across Vietnam. PLS-SEM was used for data analysis and interpretation, which indicated that Understandability, Novelty, Valence and Reviewer expertise have positive relationships with cognitive and affective evaluation, and online planning behavior. Interestingly, perceived psychological risk is significantly associated with overall destination image and e-trust in this context.
The new role of Personality in this study has been moderated considerably by the links between overall destination image, e-trust and its interaction with planning behavior toward destination. Finally, the findings are expected to contribute to the knowledge of destination image and online planning behavior toward a destination during pre-travel stage and also provide solid premises for future research to enlarge the diversity of respondents and destination image literature regarding smart tourism technology. Key words: online planning behavior, understandability, valence, novelty, reviewer expertise, perceived psychological risk, e-trust, destination image, personality. 14 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The introduction section of this dissertation outlines the multifaceted nature of tourism, emphasizing the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the industry.
It discusses the transformative role of user- generated content and social media in shaping consumer behavior and decision- making. The section also highlights the adoption of smart technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) in enhancing the tourist experience and operational efficiency. Additionally, it addresses the vulnerabilities of the tourism sector, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent recovery efforts. The introduction sets the stage for exploring the digital transformation and resilience of the tourism industry, with a focus on Vietnam's effective response and recovery in the post-pandemic era.1 Research background Tourism is a service activity involving the movement of individuals from one geographical location to another.
It is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing social, cultural, and economic aspects. Tourism entails the relocation of individuals to destinations beyond their usual surroundings, driven by personal or professional purposes. The tourism system enables individuals to understand the entire evolution of travel from both supplier and consumer perspectives (Hamid et al.