REVISITING DIGITAL TRUST IN HOSPITALITY: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF CUSTOMER-GENERATED CONTENT AND ONLINE BOOKING BEHAVIOR
Authors
Emmanouil Choustoulakis, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
Pinelopi Athanasopoulou, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
Apostolos Giovanis, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
Summary of the Conference Paper
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape of tourism and hospitality, Customer-Generated Content (CGC) has emerged as a key driver of consumer behavior and service innovation. This conceptual paper proposes a theoretical framework that examines how CGC – such as online reviews, ratings, and social media content – influences consumers’ online hotel booking intentions. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Information Adoption Model (IAM), the model integrates key constructs including perceived credibility, perceived risk, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward CGC. The framework posits that CGC shapes consumer behavior indirectly by influencing cognitive and affective evaluations of digital content. By synthesizing multidisciplinary literature, this study highlights CGC as a digital tourism innovation that enhances transparency, trust, and co-created value in hospitality services. Practical implications are discussed for platform designers and hospitality marketers seeking to leverage peer-generated content to enhance consumer trust and reduce decision-making uncertainty. The proposed model lays the groundwork for empirical validation and future exploration into moderating factors such as culture, technology acceptance, and AI-mediated content. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the understanding of how user-driven digital content transforms the tourism innovation ecosystem.
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APA Style (7th Edition) Choustoulakis, E., Athanasopoulou, P., & Giovanis, A. (2025, September 4–6). Revisiting digital trust in hospitality: A conceptual framework of customer generated content and online booking behavior [Paper presentation]. IACuDiT 2025 Conference Proceedings, Corfu, Greece.
MLA Style (9th Edition) Choustoulakis, Emmanouil, Pinelopi Athanasopoulou, and Apostolos Giovanis. “Revisiting Digital Trust in Hospitality: A Conceptual Framework of Customer Generated Content and Online Booking Behavior.” IACuDiT 2025 Conference Proceedings, 4–6 Sept. 2025, Corfu, Greece.
Chicago Style (17th Edition – Notes and Bibliography) Choustoulakis, Emmanouil, Pinelopi Athanasopoulou, and Apostolos Giovanis. “Revisiting Digital Trust in Hospitality: A Conceptual Framework of Customer Generated Content and Online Booking Behavior.” Paper presented at the IACuDiT 2025 Conference, Corfu, Greece, September 4–6, 2025.
Harvard Style Choustoulakis, E., Athanasopoulou, P. and Giovanis, A. (2025) ‘Revisiting digital trust in hospitality: a conceptual framework of customer generated content and online booking behavior’, IACuDiT 2025 Conference Proceedings. Corfu, Greece, 4–6 September.
IEEE Style E. Choustoulakis, P. Athanasopoulou, and A. Giovanis, “Revisiting digital trust in hospitality: A conceptual framework of customer generated content and online booking behavior,” in IACuDiT 2025 Conf. Proc., Corfu, Greece, Sept. 4–6, 2025.