Revisiting Digital Trust in Hospitality: A Conceptual Framework of Customer-Generated Content and Online Booking Behavior

Emmanouil Choustoulakis (), Pinelopi Athanasopoulou and Apostolos Giovanis
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Emmanouil Choustoulakis: University of Peloponnese
Pinelopi Athanasopoulou: University of Peloponnese
Apostolos Giovanis: University of West Attica

A chapter in Synergizing Management, Culture, and Arts for Tourism Development - Vol. 2, 2026, pp 449-464 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In the rapidly evolving digital landscape of tourism and hospitality, Customer-Generated Content (CGC) has emerged as a key driver of consumer behavior and service innovation. This conceptual paper proposes a theoretical framework that examines how CGC—such as online reviews, ratings, and social media content—influences consumers’ online hotel booking intentions. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Information Adoption Model (IAM), the model integrates key constructs including perceived credibility, perceived risk, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward CGC. The framework posits that CGC shapes consumer behavior indirectly by influencing cognitive and affective evaluations of digital content. By synthesizing multidisciplinary literature, this study highlights CGC as a digital tourism innovation that enhances transparency, trust, and co-created value in hospitality services. Practical implications are discussed for platform designers and hospitality marketers seeking to leverage peer-generated content to enhance consumer trust and reduce decision-making uncertainty. The proposed model lays the groundwork for empirical validation and future exploration into moderating factors such as culture, technology acceptance, and AI-mediated content. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the understanding of how user-driven digital content transforms the tourism innovation ecosystem.

Keywords: CGC; Online booking behavior; Digital trust; Perceived credibility; Hospitality marketing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M31 M39 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-17534-2_28

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