Exploring factors influencing travel information-seeking intention on short video platforms

Given the popularity of mobile-based short video apps in recent years, this study aims to examine factors influencing users’ intention to seek travel information on short video platforms. Informed by affordance theory and the technology acceptance model, this study proposes a research model that links various technological affordances to travel information-seeking intention on short video platforms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China with 640 respondents recruited from an online panel managed by a survey company to test the proposed model. Results show that four types of technological affordances (i.e. searching, recommendation, meta-voicing and livestreaming) on short video platforms are positively related to users’ diverse perceptions in seeking travel information. Perceived enjoyment promotes users’ perceived ease of use when using short video platforms and significantly enhances potential tourists’ travel information-seeking intention. Finally, perceived usefulness and ease of use also have a positive effect on travel information-seeking intention. This study provides theoretical and practical insights into increasing users’ intention to use short video platforms as travel information source, thereby making rational travel decisions.