Impact of user-generated travel posts on travel decisions: A comparative study on Weibo and Xiaohongshu

Abstract

With the growing popularity and versatility of mobile applications, this study examined consumers' usage of multi-functional social media content apps and the influence of user-generated travel posts on their travel decision-making. Using the case of Chinese millennial travelers and Weibo and Xiaohongshu as representative apps, semi-structured interviews and surveys were conducted. Results showed that while respondents used Weibo more often in daily life, Xiaohongshu was more likely to influence their destination selection. Key attributes of travel posts and preferences of different user groups were identified. The relative importance of each attribute in guiding dining/accommodation/transportation/shopping/attraction decisions was examined. The most active app users placed lower importance on the number of images and higher importance on length of text and language style.