Tourist engagement with mobile apps of E-leisure: a combined model of self-determination theory and technology acceptance model

ABSTRACT

Evidence shows that smart phones have increasingly become an essential part of people's everyday lives and leisure activities. However, the role that mobile phones play in tourist engagement with leisure activities remains ambiguous. Therefore, the aim of this research was to assess the features of mobile apps of E-leisure (MAOEL) leading to tourist engagement and the antecedents and consequences of engagement. In this study, the technology acceptance model and self-determination theory were used. The study data were collected from 383 international tourists, who visited Iran in September and November 2019. Statistical analysis with structural equation modelling was performed with Smart PLS 3.0 software. The findings show that factors, including perceived ease of use, subjective norms, perceived enjoyment, and perceived usefulness, are important for enhancing tourist engagement with MAOEL. Also, tourist engagement with MAOEL and its reinforcement leads to increasing attitude toward brand and brand usage intention. These findings will help leisure service managers and practitioners to use mobile applications to improve and develop tourists’ E-leisure experiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Tourist engagement
• tourist-apps experience
• E-leisure
• TAM
• SDT

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nima Soltani Nejad

Nima Soltani Nejad has completed Master of Science in Marketing Management from the University of Tehran in 2013 and Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. He has recently submitted his Ph.D. at the faculty of Accounting and Management, University of Tehran. He is a Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Tourism and Development and an author of two books and more than ten articles in academic journals and conferences. Nima has been involved in teaching, research, and consultancy in fields of Tourism Marketing, Tourism Distribution Channel, Omnichannel and Bibliometrics, for the past 6 years.

Raymond Rastegar

Raymond Rastegar holds a PhD in tourism management and is a lecturer and researcher in Tourism at the UQ Business School, University of Queensland. His research focuses on sustainable tourism development in developing countries with specific interest in local community livelihood, participation, empowerment, and environmental conservation. Recent research projects have investigated the impacts of tourism at local level and delivered new insights into the tourism phenomenon to advocate a more just and sustainable tourism future.

Marziyeh Jahanshahi

Marziyeh Jahanshahi is Master of Science in business management-marketing branch at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran. She has proven her interest in tourism and academic digital libraries. She has also had cooperation with the online information review international magazine.