An Initial Investigation of Integrating Innovation Diffusion Models for Drawing First‐time Visitors

The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for offering constructive comments about an early version of this paper. This research was partly supported by a research funded by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Abstract

Prior studies in the existing tourism literature have frequently emphasized the relatively expensive costs for drawing first‐time visitors. These studies, however, have largely failed to explain how to draw first‐time visitors to a destination. In other words, little was known regarding what destinations should do to attract first‐time visitors in an effective way. To provide more insights, this research investigated the impact of three diffusion models on attracting first‐time visitors. These models included an external influence model for impact of mass media, an internal influence model for impact of interpersonal communications, and a mixed model for impacts of both mass media and interpersonal communications. Assessing the model impact in a macroapproach for first‐time visitors to Hong Kong, empirical findings indicated that the mixed influence model provided the highest explanatory quality, with word‐of‐mouth being a dominant factor.

The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for offering constructive comments about an early version of this paper. This research was partly supported by a research funded by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Keywords:

• First‐time visitors
• innovation diffusion model
• Hong Kong
• marketing

Notes

The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for offering constructive comments about an early version of this paper. This research was partly supported by a research funded by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.