Disentangling the factors driving user satisfaction with travel review websites : content, social or hedonic gratifications

Abstract

Travel review websites has become increasingly popular among travelers. But there is a lack of research on the motivations of travel review website use, and it is inconclusive whether customers use travel review websites because of different gratifications obtained in their travel review website use. Most research on travel review websites focuses on the utilitarian use of content on travel review website, such as eWOM, but less is known about whether other gratifications in using travel review websites might shape customers' travel review website use, such as social and hedonic gratifications. In this article, we explore travel review website use among individuals from a Uses & Gratifications perspective. In addition to the content gratification obtained in using travel review website, such as eWOM information, two other categories of gratifications from travel review website use are also examined in this study: social gratification and hedonic gratification. The results indicate that content gratification (eWOM completeness) and hedonic gratification (enjoyment and curiosity fulfillment) in using travel review websites determine user satisfaction with a travel review website.