IMPACT OF MEDIA EXPERIENCE ON INTENTION TO VISIT AGADIR REGION: MEDIATING ROLE OF ONLINE DESTINATION IMAGE IN POST COVID-19 CRISIS
Abstract
Recent research has shed light on the significant influence of social media (SM) on travelers' behavior in the tourism sector, particularly during and after the covid-19 pandemic. However, it remains unclear whether SM information alone determines travelers' intentions, as they rely on a variety of sources such as social media (SM), including and travel platforms ( TP) social networks (SNs), word-of-mouth (WOM) and Traditional Media. Depending on the information received from each medium, travelers' behavior may vary. The formation of destination image, influenced by information from different media types, plays a crucial role in shaping travelers' behavioral intentions. The aim of this study is to investigate how media experiences as sources of information impact travelers' behavioral intentions towards the Agadir region, with destination image acting as a mediator. Additionally, the study aims to compare the destination image between informed visitors during and after their travel experiences and informed non-visitors of Agadir during their tours in Morocco. The empirical model was tested using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings reveal that certain types of media positively impact both the cognitive and affective dimensions of destination image. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the type of media influences the formation of destination image and behavioral intentions, thereby affecting both informed visitors and informed non-visitors.
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