A TAM-based approach to explore the effect of online experience on destination image: A smartphone user's perspective

This study employs an integrated approach based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine online experience by combining design features and social factors. It also explores the interrelationships between online experience and smartphone users' destination image. A pretest was conducted to examine the internal construct structure through exploratory factor analysis. In the main field test, a survey company distributed online questionnaires to recruited smartphone users. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to confirm reliability and validity, and a structural equation modeling test with maximum likelihood estimation was performed to identify the relationships among the constructs. The results suggest that perceived usefulness and ease of use are important factors that enhanced users' online experience with smartphone applications. Positive relationships exist between users' online experiences and cognitive and affective image. Furthermore, both of these factors positively contribute to overall destination image. This study contributes to the extant literature by identifying the momentous impact of mobile technology on destination image formation, and a new perspective of extending the TAM by measuring users' online experience of smartphone applications is provided for the future studies. Marketing implications and limitations are discussed.