UGC involvement, motivation and personality: comparison between China and Spain

Abstract

This cross-cultural study investigates antecedents of travel-related user-generated content (UGC) in China and Spain. Based on a critical literature review, a theoretical model was developed and tested. Co-creation, empowerment, community, and self-concept were proposed as the precursors of UGC. Personality traits (i.e. neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) were tested as potential moderators. Study results indicate that empowerment has the greatest influence on involvement in UGC in China, whereas cocreation is the most important driver of motivation in Spain. Whereas neurotic individuals in China engage with UGC for self-empowerment, novelty seekers tend to cooperate better with others. Tourists play an essential role in the value creation process through their use of UGC. UGC has key implications for the tourism industry, as it influences tourist behavior as well as destination image and performance.