| Keywords [eng] |
user-generated content, UGC credibility, customer trust, global brand perception, tourism accommodation sector, digital tourism, trust formation, digital trust, brand credibility, brand reputation, electronic word-of-mouth, online reviews, social media marketing, visual user-generated content, video-based UGC, tourism marketing, hospitality marketing, accommodation branding, consumer trust in tourism, mediation analysis, social proof theory |
| Abstract [eng] |
The Final Master's thesis described in brief The rapid growth of digital platforms has increased the importance of user-generated content (UGC) as a key information source in tourism accommodation decision-making. Travelers increasingly rely on online reviews, photos, and videos created by other consumers when evaluating accommodation providers in conditions of high uncertainty. Problem, objective, and tasks of the Final Master's thesis The research problem addresses how perceived credibility of UGC influences customer trust and global brand perception, and whether customer trust acts as a mediating mechanism. The objective of the study is to examine the relationships between UGC credibility, customer trust, and global brand perception in the tourism accommodation sector. Research methods used in the Final Master's thesis A quantitative research design was applied using an online survey administered to international travelers. Data from 272 valid responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and regression-based mediation analysis with PROCESS macro (Model 4) in SPSS. Results obtained from Research The results show that UGC credibility has a strong positive effect on customer trust (β = 0.755, p < 0.001) and a significant direct effect on global brand perception (β = 0.395, p < 0.001). Customer trust partially mediates the relationship between UGC credibility and global brand perception (indirect effect β = 0.304). Conclusions of the Final Master's thesis Credible user-generated content significantly enhances customer trust and global brand perception, confirming trust as a key psychological mechanism in digital tourism branding. Information about the publication of Final Master's thesis results or adaptation for publication The findings may be applied in tourism marketing and brand management practices. |
