IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v15y2025i4p82-d1621422.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unlocking Tourist Motivations in a Smart Tourism Destination: An Application of the Push–Pull Theory

Author

Listed:
  • Sergio Nieves-Pavón

    (Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Empresa Finanzas y Turismo, Universidad de Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Natalia López-Mosquera

    (Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Empresa Finanzas y Turismo, Universidad de Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Manuel Jesús Sánchez González

    (Departamento de Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Facultad de Empresa Finanzas y Turismo, Universidad de Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain)

Abstract

This study employs the push–pull theory to analyze tourism motivations (push and pull), perceived risk (financial risk and perceived risk), perceived value, educational level and smartphone usage and their effect on willingness to pay (WTP) and electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) behavioural intentions in Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs). With a significant sample of 504 respondents in the STD of Cáceres, the push–pull theory is used to assess its impact on smartphone usage. Results reveal that motivations, financial risk, perceived value and educational level positively affect smartphone usage, directly influencing WTP and E-WOM. Managers are advised to prioritize privacy in mobile payments, implement security services against financial risks and promote specialized applications and encourage the personalization of offers through artificial intelligence. Understanding these variables, which explain 41.5% of WTP and 65.8% of E-WOM, provides a basis for strategic decision-making in STDs.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio Nieves-Pavón & Natalia López-Mosquera & Manuel Jesús Sánchez González, 2025. "Unlocking Tourist Motivations in a Smart Tourism Destination: An Application of the Push–Pull Theory," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:4:p:82-:d:1621422
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/4/82/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/4/82/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ho, Chinh Q. & Hensher, David A. & Mulley, Corinne & Wong, Yale Z., 2018. "Potential uptake and willingness-to-pay for Mobility as a Service (MaaS): A stated choice study," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 302-318.
    2. Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Amaro, Suzanne & Roldán, José L., 2023. "Multigroup analysis of more than two groups in PLS-SEM: A review, illustration, and recommendations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    3. Stephen L. Vargo & Robert F. Lusch, 2016. "Institutions and axioms: an extension and update of service-dominant logic," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 5-23, January.
    4. Emylia Shakira Jamean & Azlan Abas, 2023. "Valuation of Visitor Perception of Urban Forest Ecosystem Services in Kuala Lumpur," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Wong, Brian Kee Mun & Musa, Ghazali & Taha, Azni Zarina, 2017. "Malaysia my second home: The influence of push and pull motivations on satisfaction," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 394-410.
    6. Stijn Baert & Sunčica Vujić & Simon Amez & Matteo Claeskens & Thomas Daman & Arno Maeckelberghe & Eddy Omey & Lieven De Marez, 2020. "Smartphone Use and Academic Performance: Correlation or Causal Relationship?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(1), pages 22-46, February.
    7. Elvira Ismagilova & Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Emma Slade & Michael D. Williams, 2017. "Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM)," SpringerBriefs in Business, in: Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) in the Marketing Context, chapter 0, pages 17-30, Springer.
    8. Booth, Hollie & Mourato, Susana & Milner-Gulland, E.J., 2022. "Investigating acceptance of marine tourism levies, to cover the opportunity costs of conservation for coastal communities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    9. Elvira Ismagilova & Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Emma Slade & Michael D. Williams, 2017. "Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) in the Marketing Context," SpringerBriefs in Business, Springer, number 978-3-319-52459-7, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Al-Adwan, Ahmad Samed & Al-Debei, Mutaz M. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2022. "E-commerce in high uncertainty avoidance cultures: The driving forces of repurchase and word-of-mouth intentions," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Fitria Dwi Puspita & Abdul Wahib Muhaimin & Silvana Maulidah, 2024. "Study of Porang Rice Purchase Intention: Moderating Role of Price Sensitivity," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(1), pages 2630-2642, January.
    3. Irina Kalabikhina & Vadim Moshkin & Anton Kolotusha & Maksim Kashin & German Klimenko & Zarina Kazbekova, 2024. "Advancing Semantic Classification: A Comprehensive Examination of Machine Learning Techniques in Analyzing Russian-Language Patient Reviews," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Khirul Basar Mim & Tunmin (Catherine) Jai & Stacy H. Lee, 2022. "The Influence of Sustainable Positioning on eWOM and Brand Loyalty: Analysis of Credible Sources and Transparency Practices Based on the S-O-R Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Elvira Ismagilova & Nripendra P. Rana & Ramakrishnan Raman, 2023. "Social Media Adoption, Usage And Impact In Business-To-Business (B2B) Context: A State-Of-The-Art Literature Review," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 971-993, June.
    6. Sook Fern Yeo & Cheng Ling Tan & Ajay Kumar & Kim Hua Tan & Jee Kit Wong, 2022. "Investigating the impact of AI-powered technologies on Instagrammers’ purchase decisions in digitalization era–A study of the fashion and apparel industry," Post-Print hal-03628402, HAL.
    7. Krishen, Anjala S. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Bindu, N. & Kumar, K. Satheesh, 2021. "A broad overview of interactive digital marketing: A bibliometric network analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 183-195.
    8. Mohammad Al-Khasawneh & Shafig Al-Haddad & Abdel-Aziz Ahmad Sharabati & Hebatallah Hisham Al Khalili & Lana Laith Azar & Farah Waleed Ghabayen & Leen Mazen Jaber & Mariam Husam Ali & Ra’ed Masa’deh, 2023. "How Online Communities Affect Online Community Engagement and Word-of-Mouth Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Kuttimani Tamilmani & Nripendra P. Rana & Robin Nunkoo & Vishnupriya Raghavan & Yogesh K. Dwivedi, 2022. "Indian Travellers’ Adoption of Airbnb Platform," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 77-96, February.
    10. Ismagilova, Elvira & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Slade, Emma, 2020. "Perceived helpfulness of eWOM: Emotions, fairness and rationality," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    11. Verma, Deepak & Prakash Dewani, Prem & Behl, Abhishek & Pereira, Vijay & Dwivedi, Yogesh & Del Giudice, Manilo, 2023. "A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of eWOM credibility: Investigation of moderating role of culture and platform type," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    12. Pradeep Kumar Roy & Zishan Ahmad & Jyoti Prakash Singh & Mohammad Abdallah Ali Alryalat & Nripendra P. Rana & Yogesh K. Dwivedi, 2018. "Finding and Ranking High-Quality Answers in Community Question Answering Sites," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 19(1), pages 53-68, March.
    13. Nisar, Tahir M. & Prabhakar, Guru & Ilavarasan, P. Vigneswara & Baabdullah, Abdullah M., 2020. "Up the ante: Electronic word of mouth and its effects on firm reputation and performance," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    14. Roy, Pradeep K. & Singh, Jyoti P. & Baabdullah, Abdullah M. & Kizgin, Hatice & Rana, Nripendra P., 2018. "Identifying reputation collectors in community question answering (CQA) sites: Exploring the dark side of social media," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 25-35.
    15. Jansen, Thomas & Moura, Francisco Tigre, 2024. "WOM, eWOM and WOMachine: The evolution of consumer recommendations through a systematic review of 194 studies," IU Discussion Papers - Marketing & Communication 3 (Juni 2024), IU International University of Applied Sciences.
    16. Ismagilova, Elvira & Slade, Emma & Rana, Nripendra P. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2020. "The effect of characteristics of source credibility on consumer behaviour: A meta-analysis," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    17. Tamilmani, Kuttimani & Rana, Nripendra P. & Prakasam, Naveena & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2019. "The battle of Brain vs. Heart: A literature review and meta-analysis of “hedonic motivation” use in UTAUT2," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 222-235.
    18. Anshu Rani & H. N. Shivaprasad, 2021. "Revisiting the antecedent of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) during COVID-19 Pandemic," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 48(4), pages 419-432, December.
    19. Deepti Aggrawal & Adarsh Anand & Gunjan Bansal & Gareth H. Davies & Parisa Maroufkhani & Yogesh K. Dwivedi, 2022. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Modelling product lines diffusion: a framework incorporating competitive brands for sustainable innovations," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 760-772, December.
    20. Hongfan Zhang & Qurat Ul Ainn & Iram Bashir & Junaid Ul Haq & Mark A. Bonn, 2022. "Does Greenwashing Influence the Green Product Experience in Emerging Hospitality Markets Post-COVID-19?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:4:p:82-:d:1621422. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.