An Extended TPB Model of eWOM in Night-Time Tourism

Abstract

This study aims to explore and analyze the factors that influence tourists’ electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intentions in the context of night tourism - an increasingly emerging tourism activity in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Drawing on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, the research incorporates not only the three core constructs of TPB (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) but also three additional variables: destination image, memorable tourism experience, and tourist satisfaction. Data were obtained from 246 domestic and international tourists through a structured questionnaire, using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques to ensure diversity in demographic and travel characteristics. The study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and analyzes the data using SmartPLS 4.0. The findings reveal that all six examined factors have significant positive effects on tourists’ intentions to share eWOM about night tourism. Among the examined constructs, Subjective norms emerged as the strongest predictor of eWOM (β = 0.243), followed by perceived behavioural control (β = 0.242). Additionally, memorable tourism experience and tourist satisfaction play an important mediating role in these relationships, suggesting that enhancing the overall quality of the tourism experience can amplify positive digital word-of-mouth behaviors. These results provide both theoretical and practical contributions. They extend the application of TPB to the underexplored context of night tourism and offer actionable insights for destination managers and insist on designing marketing strategies, improving service quality, and leveraging digital platforms to promote sustainable growth of night tourism in Can Tho City.