Does the website credibility of online travel agencies (OTAs) affect customers' evaluation and future intentions?

ABSTRACT

In an uncertain and escalating risk period resulting from the prolonged pandemic crisis, this study aimed to identify the dimensional nature of online travel agencies' (OTAs) website credibility, and empirically investigate the effects of its components on attitude and behavioral intentions. This study was conducted by collecting 559 questionnaires from mainland Chinese OTA users in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data analyses showed that OTA website credibility comprised six components. Other proposed paths, with the exception of four, were significant at the .05 or .001 level. Interestingly, the paths between content credibility and attitude toward the OTA and between content credibility and loyalty to the OTA were not significant. However, overall, it was confirmed that OTA website credibility determined attitude toward the OTA and loyalty to the OTA, which led to behavioral intention.