The effect of social capital and altruism on seniors' revisit intention to social network sites for tourism-related purposes

• This study explores why seniors use SNSs for tourism products and services.
• Seniors' social capital has significant effects on attachments in SNSs.
• Seniors' altruism has significant effects on common bond and identity attachments.
• Common bond and identity have significant effects on revisit intention to SNSs.
• The effect of common identity on revisit intention is greater than common bond.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among social capital, altruism, common bond and identity, and revisit intention using social capital, altruism, and attachment theories. A total of 452 responses were generated from consumers 50 years of age and older (seniors), qualified as having used a social network site (SNS) for tourism-related products and services within the past 12 months. Results show that social capital has significant effects on common bond and identity while social capital has a slightly greater effect on common identity than common bond. Altruism has significant effects on common bond and identity whereas altruism has a greater effect on common bond than common identity. Common bond and identity both have significant effects on revisit intention. Noticeably, revisit intention is highly influenced by common identity. Therefore, this study provides new knowledge and recommendations to SNS administrators addressing why seniors use SNSs for tourism-related purposes.