Dual-route of persuasive communications in mobile tourism shopping

• Elaboration likelihood model is employed to understand mobile tourism shoppers.
• Argument quality significantly influences perceived usefulness (central route).
• Source credibility has a significant impact on attachment (peripheral route).
• Site attachment has mediating effects between antecedents and continued usage.
• Social network involvement has a moderating effect on central and peripheral route.

The purpose of this study is to develop and test a communication model for persuasive processes for mobile tourism shopping (MTS). Applying the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), we adopted a confirmatory approach using partial least squares as the analytical method. Respondents (n = 357) who had recently purchased a tourism product using mobile devices (smartphones or tablets) were analyzed. Argument quality significantly influences perceived usefulness (central route); source credibility has positive effects on perceived usefulness and site attachment (peripheral route); perceived usefulness significantly influences site attachment and continued usage; and site attachment has a positive effect on continued usage. Social network involvement has a moderating effect on central and peripheral routes. This study reflects increased awareness and interest in understanding persuasive processes at work in MTS. Empirical results demonstrate the value of using the ELM to understand dual-route communication processes at work among mobile shoppers for tourism products. As markets become increasingly competitive, it becomes ever more important for tourism managers to better understand the persuasive processes at work among different segments of MTS. As this study demonstrates, applying the ELM holds promise in achieving such understanding.