Do Cultural Differences Influence Tourists’ Likelihood to Seek Information Via Social Media in the Event of a Crisis?

Do Cultural Differences Influence Tourists’ Likelihood to Seek Information Via Social Media in the Event of a Crisis?

This study examined the influence of the cultural backgrounds of international travelers on the likelihood to turn to social media to seek information if a crisis were to occur while traveling. Data for this study were generated by surveys from an online panel of international respondents from South Korea, China, India, Australia, and Brazil. A total of 2,416 completed surveys were used. The results indicated that travelers from different countries varied in their likelihood to seek information via social media during a crisis. Tourists from South Korea were found to be the most likely to access social media to find information about a crisis while traveling. The different cultures also had different preferred sources for seeking information during a crisis. This study demonstrated the significance of examining the influence of characteristics on the potential use of social media during a crisis. Implications and recommendations are presented.