Abstract:
Generation Z, raised in a digitally connected world, increasingly relies on social
media when making travel decisions. However, the tourism industry still lacks a
comprehensive understanding of how specific social media-related factors influence
Gen Z's destination choice behaviour. This study investigates the key factors that
influence tourism destination choice behaviour among Generation Z concerning the
use of social media platforms. Addressing this issue, the study investigates the
influence of seven factors, developed based on UTAUT2 framework, which are
perceived trust, hedonic motivation, habit, performance expectancy, effort
expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions on Gen Z’s tourism
decisions. A survey was carried out among 384 Gen Z respondents in Sri Lanka. The
survey was distributed online and specifically targeted individuals who had used
social media for travel-related purposes. This ensured that all participants were
relevant to the study’s focus on social media-driven tourism decisions. Habit showed
the strongest correlation with Gen Z tourism destination choice behaviour, followed
by hedonic motivation, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, perceived trust,
social influence, and finally facilitating conditions, which had the
weakest correlation. The study contributes to bridging the knowledge gap in
understanding technology-driven tourism choices among the emerging generation of
travellers. In practice, the findings suggest that tourism authorities and policymakers
can invest in digital infrastructure and leverage social media for destination
promotion, while tourism businesses can enhance engagement by encouraging user generated content, influencer marketing, and data-driven campaigns. These practical insights help develop more effective strategies to attract and retain Gen Z travellers in an increasingly digital tourism landscape.
