The effects of parasocial interaction, authenticity, and self‐congruity on the formation of consumer trust in online travel agencies

• Published in: The international journal of tourism research Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 563 - 576
• Main Authors: Chen, Xiaohua, Hyun, Sunghyup Sean, Lee, Timothy J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-07-2022; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: authenticity; consumer trust; influencer marketing; online travel agency; parasocial interaction theory; self‐congruity theory
• ISSN: 1099-2340; 1522-1970
• DOI: 10.1002/jtr.2522

This study uses the theories of parasocial interaction, perceived authenticity, and self‐congruity to analyze the antecedents of source credibility and to confirm the positive effects of this on travel influencers when constructing travel platforms. The respondents are Chinese travelers who had used an online travel agency and who read influencer‐generated content to search for tourism‐related information. The results from the 420 valid questionnaires showed that users' perceived parasocial interaction, perceived authenticity, and self‐congruity have positive effects on source credibility for influencers. The study provides theoretical and managerial backup for influencer marketing efforts and the content marketing of online travel platforms.