KOREASCHOLAR

In today’s digital world the role of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication has been recognized as an invaluable tool in the integrated marketing communications and promotion activities of a wide range of products and services. In particular eWOM has been identified as a critical component of tourism and entertainment marketing such as that used to promote theme park amusement services. This paper examines the effects of social media (SM) relationship variables (Social identity, information, interaction, structure) have on eWOM communication, with mediators of social networks (Perceived usefulness - PU, perceived ease of use - PEOU and actual use -AU) acting as transmitters of those effects. Although previous studies have strongly supported the importance of social identity and personal interaction in enhancing eWOM communication through social networks, they have not been tested as a specific model that is relevant to the theme park industry. This research therefore incorporates those three mediators to enhance the explanatory value of a proposed model. The findings confirm the mediating role of technology acceptance model (TAM) factors, i.e. PU, PEOU and AU, for predicting theme park visitors’ use of eWOM. It is shown that all four exogenous SM relationship variables exert a positive indirect effect on eWOM communication by operating through PU and AU, but not PEOU. Practically, the study features the role of a set of factors that support theme park visitors’ tendency to communicate their experiences to their online network and describes a model which could offer theme park and amusement venue operators a competitive edge over other direct competitors as well as other forms of entertainment.

• Anestis K. Fotiadis(I-Shou University, Taiwan)
• Nikolaos Stylos(University of Wolverhampton, UK)
• Tzung-Cheng (T.C.) Huan(National Chiayi University, Taiwan)