Impacts of online images of a tourist destination on tourist travel decision

The online image of tourist destination will influence motivation, perceived risks, as well as tourists' attitudes toward a tourist destination, which helps in the making of a travel decision. Based on elements, including source, direction, and quality of online image of tourist destination, this research takes product involvement as a moderating variable and uses source, direction, and quality of online image to construct a model of the impact of the online image of tourist destination on travel decisions with experimental approaches. Further study is implemented by using Huangshan Mountain Scenic Spot as an example and with 240 valid participants, whose age ranges from 18 to 39, participating in a survey. The results demonstrate that there is no significant difference in a tourists' decision from the angle of source of online image, but in contrast, direction together with quality of online image has a significant impact on tourists' travel decision and interaction with each other. In addition, product involvement has no moderating effect on the source of the online image. However, product involvement has a moderating effect on direction and quality of the online image.