Abstract (150 Words)
As consumers, travelers play an important role in helping others decide where to spend their valuable vacation dollars or business travel budget before they embark on a journey. One venue where these pre-travelers where glean especially insightful information is on user-generated content (UGC) sites were eWOM (electronic word of mouth) is freely provided by travelers to other travelers. As gathering information is a key component in making consumer decisions, one aspect that has not received much attention are the barriers that hinder travelers to relate their travel experiences. Even when some travelers have accessed eWOM in making travel and hospitality decisions, they may remain silent on UGC sites. This research seeks to evaluate three different UGC sites and attempts to discover why some travelers remain silent regarding their travel and hospitality experiences.
Silent Travlers: Barriers to Providing eWOM
As consumers, travelers play an important role in helping others decide where to spend their valuable vacation dollars or business travel budget before they embark on a journey. One venue where these pre-travelers where glean especially insightful information is on user-generated content (UGC) sites were eWOM (electronic word of mouth) is freely provided by travelers to other travelers. As gathering information is a key component in making consumer decisions, one aspect that has not received much attention are the barriers that hinder travelers to relate their travel experiences. Even when some travelers have accessed eWOM in making travel and hospitality decisions, they may remain silent on UGC sites. This research seeks to evaluate three different UGC sites and attempts to discover why some travelers remain silent regarding their travel and hospitality experiences.
