The Role of Digital Platforms and Online User Interaction in Shaping Tourist Emotional Satisfaction

Qori Fauziah; Asmar Yulastri; Yudha Aditya Fiandra; Dony Novaliendry

doi:10.24036/jtip.v19i2.1103

Authors

Qori Fauziah Universitas Negeri Padang
Asmar Yulastri Universitas Negeri Padang
Yudha Aditya Fiandra Universitas Negeri Padang
Dony Novaliendry Universitas Negeri Padang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24036/jtip.v19i2.1103

Keywords:

Digital tourism, Digital experience quality, Digital destination image, Tourist engagement, Electronic word of mouth

Abstract

Tourist experiences in the digital era are shaped not only by on-site physical interactions but are increasingly influenced by digital platforms, online reviews, and social media. Although the literature on digital tourism is growing rapidly, a gap remains in understanding how digital interactions holistically and integratively influence tourists' emotional satisfaction, particularly in coastal destinations. This study aims to examine the role of digital and information technology-based factors in shaping tourists' emotional satisfaction in coastal destinations by developing an integrated model that links the physical and social environments, digital experience quality, electronic word of mouth (e-WOM), digital destination image, and tourist engagement. Data were collected from 339 tourists who actively used digital platforms during their visits to a coastal destination in Indonesia. A mixed-method analytical approach was employed, combining Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test linear relationships and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to uncover complex configurational pathways leading to high emotional satisfaction. The findings indicate that digital experience quality and e-WOM significantly strengthen digital destination image, which in turn enhances tourist engagement and emotional satisfaction. Tourist engagement emerged as the strongest direct predictor of emotional satisfaction. The configurational analysis revealed multiple alternative pathways leading to high satisfaction, with digital destination image identified as a necessary condition across all configurations. This study offers theoretical contributions by integrating environmental psychology and digital tourism literature into a comprehensive model and by applying a mixed-method approach (SEM-fsQCA) capable of capturing causal complexity. Practically, the findings underscore the importance for destination managers to not only manage physical attractions but also to proactively build a strong digital destination image, encourage positive e-WOM, and create interactive and engaging digital experiences to enhance tourists' emotional satisfaction.

References

L. Dwyer, “Emerging ocean industries: Implications for sustainable tourism development,” Tourism in Marine Environments, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 25–40, 2018, doi: 10.3727/154427317X15018194204029.

C. M. Hall, “Tourism Management: Marine and Coastal Recreation,” 2020, CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/9780429441004-13.

D. Tegar and R. O. Saut Gurning, “Development of Marine and Coastal Tourism Based on Blue Economy,” International Journal of Marine Engineering Innovation and Research, vol. 2, no. 2, 2018, doi: 10.12962/j25481479.v2i2.3650.

D. Kaur, “How Social Media Shapes Destination Perceptions and Experiential Travel Choices? a Conceptual Model,” International Journal of Global Research Innovations & Technology, vol. 03, no. 01(II), pp. 76–80, 2025, doi: 10.62823/ijgrit/3.1(ii).7311.

A. D. L. Goeltom and R. Hurriyati, “Destination Attractiveness and Visit Intention: Integrating Image, Cultural Experience, and Sustainable Practices in Tourist Decision-Making,” Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Travel Management, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 43–57, 2024, doi: 10.58229/jthtm.v2i1.308.

M. A. Sharafuddin, M. Madhavan, and S. Wangtueai, “Assessing the Effectiveness of Digital Marketing in Enhancing Tourist Experiences and Satisfaction: A Study of Thailand’s Tourism Services,” Administrative Sciences, vol. 14, no. 11, p. 273, 2024, doi: 10.3390/admsci14110273.

M.-C. Chou, C.-F. Tsai, W. Leelapattana, and W. Thongma, “The Relationship Between Destination Experience and Tourists’ Intention to Recommend and Revisit,” Journal of Ecohumanism, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 14337–14353, 2025, doi: 10.62754/joe.v3i8.6706.

B. K. Gavaza and P. Ndebele, “From Reviews to Reality: The Role of Electronic Word of Mouth in Shaping Tourist Experiences in South Africa,” Studia Periegetica, vol. 48, no. 2, p. 2120, 2025, doi: 10.58683/sp.2120.

S. KARACAOĞLU, “Impact of Electronic Word of Mouth Communication and Destination Image on Behavioural Intentions: The Case of Eskişehir Turkey,” Gastroia: Journal of Gastronomy And Travel Research, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 420–446, 2021, doi: 10.32958/gastoria.986606.

M. Adam, M. Ibrahim, T. R. I. Putra, and M. Yunus, “The effect of e-WOM model mediation of marketing mix and destination image on tourist revisit intention,” International Journal of Data and Network Science, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 265–274, 2023, doi: 10.5267/j.ijdns.2022.10.007.

H. Zheng and S. Khong-khai, “The Mediating Role of Satisfaction between Tourists’ Engagement and Revisit Intention: A Case Study of Immersive Tourism Experience on Pingtan Island, China,” International Journal of Sociologies and Anthropologies Science Reviews, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 199–220, 2025, doi: 10.60027/ijsasr.2026.8010.

T. Rasul et al., “Tourist engagement: Toward an integrated framework using meta-analysis,” Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 845–867, 2025, doi: 10.1177/13567667241238456.

A. Alam, F. Bilal, and F. Naz, “Unraveling environmental performance determinants: a dual analysis using FsQCA and PLS-SEM,” Future Business Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, 2025, doi: 10.1186/s43093-025-00556-0.

M. Jafari, B. Persaud, and C. D’agostino, “A Hybrid Structural Equation Modeling and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Framework for Using Limited Samples to Relate Cycling Performance to Behavioral Traits,” Traffic Safety Research, vol. 9, p. e000095, 2025, doi: 10.55329/qjgq4392.

Z. Su, B. Lei, D. Lu, S. Lai, and X. Zhang, “Impact of ecological presence in virtual reality tourism on enhancing tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior,” Scientific Reports, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 5939, 2024, doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-56615-z.

G. Prayag, “Psychological resilience and tourism entrepreneurs,” in Handbook of Tourism Entrepreneurship, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024, pp. 131–141. doi: 10.4337/9781803920023.00017.

M. J. Kim and C. M. Hall, “Can sustainable restaurant practices enhance customer loyalty? The roles of value theory and environmental concerns,” Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, vol. 43, pp. 127–138, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.03.004.

D. Stylidis, Y. Belhassen, and A. Shani, “Destination image, on-site experience and behavioural intentions: path analytic validation of a marketing model on domestic tourists,” Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 20, no. 15, pp. 1653–1670, 2017, doi: 10.1080/13683500.2015.1051011.

D. Stylidis, A. Shani, and Y. Belhassen, “Testing an integrated destination image model across residents and tourists,” Tourism Management, vol. 58, pp. 184–195, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2016.10.014.

S. M. Rasoolimanesh, S. Seyfi, C. M. Hall, and P. Hatamifar, “Understanding memorable tourism experiences and behavioural intentions of heritage tourists,” Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, vol. 21, p. 100621, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2021.100621.

C. Shen, “Social media marketing and digital influence for visitor flow management in sustainable heritage tourism,” Scientific Reports, 2025.

M. J. Kim, S.-E. Kang, C. M. Hall, J. S. Kim, and P. Promsivapallop, “Unveiling the impact of ChatGPT on travel consumer behaviour: exploring trust, attribute, and sustainable-tourism action,” Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 28, no. 8, pp. 1191–1196, 2025.

R. A. Rather, L. D. Hollebeek, and S. M. Rasoolimanesh, “First-time versus repeat tourism customer engagement, experience, and value cocreation: An empirical investigation,” Journal of Travel Research, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 549–564, 2022.

P. Buonincontri and R. Micera, “The experience co-creation in smart tourism destinations: a multiple case analysis of European destinations,” Information Technology & Tourism, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 285–315, 2016.

J. Ai, D. Gursoy, Y. Liu, and X. Lv, “Effects of offering incentives for reviews on trust: Role of review quality and incentive source,” International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 100, p. 103101, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.103101.

D. Verma and P. P. Dewani, “eWOM credibility: a comprehensive framework and literature review,” Online Information Review, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 481–500, 2020, doi: 10.1108/OIR-06-2020-0263.

R. Filieri, F. McLeay, B. Tsui, and Z. Lin, “Consumer perceptions of information helpfulness and determinants of purchase intention in online consumer reviews of services,” Information and Management, vol. 55, no. 8, pp. 956–970, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.im.2018.04.010.

E. Marine-Roig and S. Anton Clavé, “Perceived image specialisation in multiscalar tourism destinations,” Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 202–213, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.12.007.

S. D. Vivek, S. E. Beatty, V. Dalela, and R. M. Morgan, “A generalized multidimensional scale for measuring customer engagement,” Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 401–420, 2014, doi: 10.2753/MTP1069-6679220404.

L. D. Hollebeek et al., “Customer engagement in evolving technological environments: synopsis and guiding propositions,” European Journal of Marketing, vol. 53, no. 9, pp. 2018–2023, 2019, doi: 10.1108/EJM-09-2019-970.

A. Parasuraman and C. L. Colby, “An Updated and Streamlined Technology Readiness Index: TRI 2.0,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 59–74, 2015, doi: 10.1177/1094670514539730.

D. He, Z. Yao, F. Zhao, and J. Feng, “How do weather factors drive online reviews? The mediating role of online reviewers’ affect,” Industrial Management and Data Systems, vol. 120, no. 11, pp. 2133–2149, 2020, doi: 10.1108/IMDS-02-2020-0121.

P. Sridevi, N. Manoraj, and L. N. Vedanthachari, “Examining customer’s intention to rely on online reviews,” International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 369–393, 2022, doi: 10.1504/IJIMA.2022.123163.

J. Hair, C. L. Hollingsworth, A. B. Randolph, and A. Y. L. Chong, “An updated and expanded assessment of PLS-SEM in information systems research,” Industrial Management and Data Systems, vol. 117, no. 3, pp. 442–458, 2017, doi: 10.1108/IMDS-04-2016-0130.

I. O. Pappas and A. G. Woodside, “Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA): Guidelines for research practice in Information Systems and marketing,” International Journal of Information Management, vol. 58, p. 102310, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102310.

S. Kumar, S. Sahoo, W. M. Lim, S. Kraus, and U. Bamel, “Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) in business and management research: A contemporary overview,” Technological Forecasting and Social Change, vol. 178, p. 121599, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121599.

S. Kraus, D. Ribeiro-Soriano, and M. Schüssler, “Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) in entrepreneurship and innovation research – the rise of a method,” International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 15–33, 2018, doi: 10.1007/s11365-017-0461-8.

B. Kim, M. Yoo, and W. Yang, “Online Engagement Among Restaurant Customers: The Importance of Enhancing Flow for Social Media Users,” Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 252–277, 2020, doi: 10.1177/1096348019887202.

C. Prandi, V. Nisi, C. Ceccarini, and N. Nunes, “Augmenting Emerging Hospitality Services: A Playful Immersive Experience to Foster Interactions among Locals and Visitors,” International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 363–377, 2023, doi: 10.1080/10447318.2021.2012382.

Andre Ilyas, Ahmad Vajri Rahman, and Bella Hartati, “Gamification in Marketing: Leveraging Interactive Experiences for Higher Consumer Engagement,” International Journal of Economics and Management Research, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 733–740, 2025, doi: 10.55606/ijemr.v4i1.489.

K. Barajas-Portas, “Predicting Engagement Generated by Digital Interactions: An Abstract,” 2020, Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-42545-6_125.

N. S. Mohd, H. N. Ismail, N. Isa, and S. M. R. Syed Jaafar, “Millennial Tourist Emotional Experience in Technological Engagement At Destination,” International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, vol. 6, no. 1–2, pp. 129–135, 2019, doi: 10.11113/ijbes.v6.n1-2.396.

J. Ai, L. Yan, Y. Hu, and Y. Liu, “An Investigation Into the Effects of Destination Sensory Experiences at Visitors’ Digital Engagement: Empirical Evidence From Sanya, China,” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13, 2022, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.942078.

G. M. Alves, B. M. Sousa, and A. Machado, “The Role of Digital Marketing and Online Relationship Quality in Social Tourism,” 2019, IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-9783-4.ch003.

Y. Qin, C. Luo, Z. Xu, X. Wang, and M. Škare, “Decoding Tourist Satisfaction for Sustainable Economic Development: a Multi-Method Configuration Framework Using Online Reviews,” Technological and Economic Development of Economy, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 1801–1839, 2025, doi: 10.3846/tede.2025.23251.

L. Zhang, L. Zou, and M. Shi, “Immersing and Perceiving in Tourism Scenarios: The Interaction Mechanism between Digital Technologies and Tourists,” 2024, IEEE. doi: 10.1109/QRS-C63300.2024.00168.

M. Abou-Shouk, N. Zouair, A. Abdelhakim, H. Roshdy, and M. Abdel-Jalil, “The effect of immersive technologies on tourist satisfaction and loyalty: the mediating role of customer engagement and customer perceived value,” International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 36, no. 11, pp. 3587–3606, 2024, doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-09-2023-1496.

A. K. Kakirala and D. P. Singh, “The Mediating Role of Social Media in Tourism: An eWOM Approach,” Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, vol. 7, no. 11, pp. 381–391, 2020, doi: 10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no11.381.

A. Z. Abbasi, R. H. Tsiotsou, K. Hussain, R. A. Rather, and D. H. Ting, “Investigating the impact of social media images’ value, consumer engagement, and involvement on eWOM of a tourism destination: A transmittal mediation approach,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 71, p. 103231, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103231.

M. M. Shafiee, R. A. Tabaeeian, and H. Tavakoli, “The effect of destination image on tourist satisfaction, intention to revisit and WOM: An empirical research in Foursquare social media,” 2016, IEEE. doi: 10.1109/ECDC.2016.7492964.

P. Wang, H. Li, and Y. Liu, “Disentangling the factors driving electronic word-of-mouth use through a configurational approach,” Internet Research, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 925–943, 2020, doi: 10.1108/INTR-01-2019-0031.

T. (Christina) Zhang, B. Abound Omran, and C. Cobanoglu, “Generation Y’s positive and negative eWOM: use of social media and mobile technology,” International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 732–761, 2017, doi: 10.1108/IJCHM-10-2015-0611.