e-WOM: How do Fake Reviews in the Saudi Tourism Sector Impact
Consumers’ Purchasing Intentions?
ABDUL WAHAB ALWAHASHI, AHMED MEDJEDEL*
Department of Business Management,
Onaizah Private College,
Shabbily Street, Onaizah,
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
*Corresponding Author
Abstract: - e-WOM (Electronic Word of Mouth) is a practical way of exchanging and discussing views on the
quality of goods, services, ideas, and organizations that provide them. In the age of mass digitalization, people find
it easy and practical to review/rate the output of any institution through Social Media channels available to them.
However, the ease of Mass-communication is itself responsible or at least a contributor to fake/false/biased reviews
of purchased products and services. This research will investigate e-WOM as expressed by service reviewing in the
Saudi Tourism/Hospitality sector, which has been booming in recent years due to the 2020-2030 transformative
Plan. We propose to study how different variables may influence the service provider (Brand Reputation), the
consumers’ attitudes towards it, the quality of the information provided, and the ease of accessibility of them. To
our surprise, we found no significant impact of e-WOM on Brand Reputation, while for Customer purchase
intentions, all the above-mentioned factors proved to impact significantly.
Key Words: - e-WOM - digital marketing, social media marketing, service sales, fake e-reviewing, tourism &
hospitality sector, KSA, brand reputation, customer purchase intentions.
Received: August 21, 2023. Revised: December 7, 2023. Accepted: January 5, 2024. Published: January 18, 2024.
1 Introduction
This research will investigate how Electronic Word
of Mouth (eWOM) is impacting the Saudi
Tourism/hospitality sector through the extensive use
of Digital and Social Media mediums, [1]. It will
consider eWOM as the Independent Variable, while
Consumer Purchase Intention is the Dependent
variable with Brand reputation as a moderating
factor. Fake eWOM reviews, also known as
"astroturfing" or "sock puppetry," can significantly
impact consumers' purchasing intentions in the
tourism sector. Tourism organizations and businesses
in Saudi Arabia need to monitor and address fake
eWOM reviews, as well as educate consumers about
the importance of reading reviews from credible
sources and using critical thinking when evaluating
online reviews. Strategies for addressing fake eWOM
in the tourism industry include implementing review
verification systems, encouraging honest and
authentic reviews, monitoring and responding to
reviews, educating consumers, and working with
review platforms. By addressing fake eWOM
reviews, tourism organizations and businesses in
Saudi Arabia can ensure that consumers have access
to accurate and trustworthy information, which can
help increase their purchasing intentions and
contribute to the growth of the country's tourism
industry, [2].
1.1 Research Aim/Problem Statement
Our research aims principally at exploring the
possible links between fake eWOM, especially fake
reviews in the Tourism/ Hospitality sector in KSA
the Consumers’ purchasing Intentions.
1.2 Research Objectives
We intend to explore the concept of eWOM and
eventually investigate the concept of fake reviews,
especially in tourism/hospitality in Saudi Arabia. In
particular, we aim to study the impact of eWOM on
the Consumer’s Purchasing Intentions as well as on
the Brand Reputation of the marketed service.
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DOI: 10.37394/23207.2024.21.47
Abdul Wahab Alwahashi, Ahmed Medjedel
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Volume 21, 2024
In addition, we will investigate how consumers’
attitudes, the quality of the information provided, and
the ease of access can intervene as possible factors in
the main relationship between fake eWOM and the
consumers’ purchasing intentions.
1.3 Research Questions
Our present research pretends to answer the
following questions:
1. What is the exact nature of the relationship
between fake eWOM and the Consumer’s
Purchasing intentions in the Saudi
Tourism/Hospitality sector?
2. Does Brand Reputation affect the relationship
between fake eWOM and the Consumer’s
Purchasing intentions in the Saudi
Tourism/Hospitality sector?
3. How consumer attitudes, the quality of the
information provided, and the ease of access
can intervene as possible factors in the main
relationship between fake eWOM and the
consumers’ purchasing intentions.
2 Literature Review
2.1 Digital Marketing
It has been stated that digital marketing is the fastest
e-commerce solution available and is more
affordable than traditional offline marketing
methods, [3]. The rise in popularity of organizations
integrating technology into their marketing strategy
has led to the need for an in-depth review of digital
marketing strategies, [4]. Two authors recognize the
differences in consumer opinions by availing
distinguished services of traditional as well as
internet marketing strategies, [5], [6]. A Study on
Literature Review for Identifying the Factors used
and the findings established that there is a positive
relationship between Internet Savvy and
Innovativeness with their Internet utilization and the
Internet utilization shows a positive relationship with
sales performance. One study brings to light a few
factors affecting digital marketing from the
marketer’s perspective, such as the target market,
channels, technology, content, social media, talent,
and budget, [7]. Some authors analyze the various
distinctions between traditional marketing and e-
marketing effectiveness, [8]. Customer satisfaction
plays a predominant role in the success and
sustenance of any business organization.
2.2 Social Media Marketing
Another study contributes to social media marketing
strategy knowledge by developing a Social Media
Marketing Evaluation framework. The framework
has six stages: setting evaluation objectives,
identifying key performance indicators (KPIs),
identifying metrics, data collection, and analysis,
report generation, and management decision-making,
[9], [10]. Two key challenges depicted by the study
are the agency-client relationship and the available
social analytics tools. Additionally, one author
examines the influence of interactive social media
marketing communications on teenagers' cognitive,
affective, and behavioral attitude components in
South Africa. The study ascertained that social media
marketing communications positively influenced
each attitude component among adolescents, but on a
declining scale, which correlates to the purchase
funnel model, [11].
This investigation also makes an important
contribution to attitudinal research in developing
countries, where there is a lack of research in social
media marketing communications. The most
important details in this text are that companies and
their brands should consider using and/or adapting
their strategies based on the declining impact of
social media marketing communications on the
hierarchical attitude stages among young consumers
and the divergent influence of usage and
demographic variables when targeting Generation Z
consumers. A study identified various factors that
determine the purchase of a product using social
media from a customer's point of view, [12]. Two
authors have found that social media tools directly
affect the purchasing behaviors of young consumers,
depending on their age group and educational status,
[13]. This suggests that companies should consider
using and/or adapting their strategies based on the
declining impact of social media marketing
communications on the hierarchical attitude stages
among young consumers and the divergent influence
of usage and demographic variables.
2.3 Ethical Issues in Digital & Social Media
Marketing
The Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed that the
UK-based consulting firm mined data from millions
of Facebook users to strategically influence behavior
using targeted advertisements, [14]. This scandal
should serve as a wake-up call to every profession
that uses social media data. Social media platforms
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have attempted to open some small windows into the
platform’s practices, but have simultaneously closed
other doors. Transparent and proactive measures,
informed by empirical research, need to be taken at
the platform, professional, and policy levels to ensure
ethical social media marketing practices. Research
has been dedicated to understanding how to
successfully use and implement social media for
marketing purposes.
Social media marketers have access to platforms’
in-house advertising tools, as well as public data on
social media. Research pieces of evidence that an
individual’s expectation of privacy may change over
time and may differ based on who is using the data
and for what purpose. Academic research has been
leading the charge in considering ethical social media
data practices. Data consumers need a higher level of
literacy in understanding the ethics and practices of
social media, and professionals can no longer rely on
the “spray and pray” approach. Social media privacy
is complicated and compounded by the distinction
between social and institutional privacy.
3 Theoretical Framework
3.1 Digital Marketing
Digital media has changed drastically since the mid-
90s, with two odious media compositions created:
paid media (Google AdWords) and demanding media
(email marketing sites and friend sites). Clicks are
key pieces of information to collect and test for paid
and claimed media, and a third medium called
acquired media has been created. In Figure 1 below
we can see the most common types of Digital
Marketing nowadays in practice.
Fig. 1: Types of Digital Marketing, [15]
Digital marketing is an important strategy for
businesses, as it helps to build a strong relationship
between the business and the consumer. The target
consumers for online businesses are people living in
metro cities, and digital marketing can generate sales
which will lead to brand recognition and loyalty. The
growth of the digital market in 2010 was estimated to
be 48%. Digital media helps buyers connect to online
stores and view different remarks from different
buyers, creating a positive image among the users.
3.2 Social Media Marketing
Social networking websites are based on building
virtual communities that allow consumers to express
their needs, wants, and values online. Social media
marketing connects these consumers and audiences
to businesses that share the same needs, wants, and
values. Mobile phones have grown at a rapid rate,
allowing individuals immediate web browsing and
access to social networking sites. Real-time bidding
use in the mobile advertising industry is high and
rising. Mobile devices have become increasingly
popular, with 5.7 billion people using them
worldwide.
Social media marketing (SMM) is a form of
Internet marketing that utilizes social networking
websites as a marketing tool. SMM is perceived as a
more targeted type of advertising and is believed to
be very effective in creating brand awareness.
3.3 e-WOM
eWOM (Electronic Word of Mouth) is the sharing of
information about a product or service in the form of
social media recommendations, online reviews, or
influencer-generated content. 90% of consumers read
online reviews before visiting a business, 84% trust
online reviews as much as personal
recommendations, and 71% are more likely to make
a purchase based on social media referrals. EWOM
has various formats, such as text-based electronic
word of mouth, pictures, videos, or star ratings.
Online Reviews: Reviews are often the #1 factor for
consumers to make purchase decisions, but it is no
one-way street! The success of reviews depends on
their volume and the responses and resolutions
offered to dissatisfied customers.
Social media recommendations can increase
conversion rates by 25%, webpages can be strong
avenues to drive eWOM, and images + video reviews
can offer a real slice of what a brand is like. The most
important details in this text are the tools that can
help businesses run and scale their activities across
locations. Regular responses to customer queries are
a great way to control your brand’s story and
impression online, while engagement with your
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community is about extending offline experiences
online. To build a positive and long-lasting eWOM,
it is important to evaluate if it is worth the time. A
survey on Review Fraud found that 66% of
consumers in the US feel fake reviews are a growing
problem, and two-thirds of Facebook users visit a
local business page at least once a week. To make the
process of building a strong eWOM manageable and
scalable, it is crucial to equip teams with tools and
training.
3.4 Fake e-Reviewing
The Internet has transformed traditional word of
mouth (WOM) into electronic word of mouth
(eWOM), which has significantly impacted consumer
behavior. WOM is a person-to-person
communication tool that influences consumer
behavior, particularly in intangible products like
tourism or hospitality. eWOM, an online form of
WOM, has gained importance due to online
platforms. Both types of recommendations enable
companies to better understand customers' needs and
promote their products or services. However, there is
a gap in the literature on WOM credibility in
situations involving multiple communicators and
receivers. Both WOM and eWOM are different
concepts, with the Internet transforming traditional
WOM into eWOM, making them the most influential
media in influencing consumer behavior.
3.5 Tourism in KSA
Saudi Arabia's tourism industry has grown, with
significant investments in infrastructure and
diversifying its economy. Key attractions include
Islamic holy sites, cultural heritage, natural beauty,
and modern cities. However, challenges remain, such
as limited awareness, infrastructure, and cultural and
entertainment options. Saudi Arabia has invested
$810 billion in culture, leisure, and entertainment
projects, aiming for 100 million visitors by 2030. The
Vision 2030 project aims to increase international
religious tourists to 30 million by 2030, promoting
Saudi heritage.
4 Methodology
4.1 Population & Sampling
Since consumers of Tourism/Hospitality consumers
using The Internet/ Social Media channels to review
and exchange views with other users can be counted
by millions in KSA, we have chosen a sample of 456
respondents for the present research. The e-survey
was also used for reasons of easiness and
practicability.
4.2 Hypothesis
1- Main Hypothesis:
H.0: There is no significant impact of fake eWOM
on the Purchase Intention of Tourism/ Hospitality
Consumers in KSA
The main hypothesis is based on a set of sub-
hypotheses, which are:
2-Sub-hypotheses:
H.1: There is no significant impact of fake eWOM
on the Brand Reputation of Tourism/ Hospitality
Businesses in KSA.
H.4: There is no significant impact of Brand
Reputation on the Purchase Intention of Tourism/
Hospitality Consumers in KSA
The main Sub-Hypothesis can be split into the
following:
H2: There is no significant impact of Consumer
Attitudes on the Brand Reputation
H3: There is no significant impact of fake eWOM
on Brand Reputation according to consumer
attitude.
H5: There is no significant impact of the Ease of
Accessibility on Purchase intention.
H6 There is no significant impact of the Quality of
Information on Purchase intention.
H7: There is no significant impact of Brand
Reputation on Purchase Intention according to
the quality of the information provided.
H8: There is no significant impact of Brand
Reputation on Purchase Intention according to
the ease of accessibility.
4.3 Research Model
In Figure 2, we illustrated the main relationships that
bound together variables.
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Fig. 2: Research Model developed by authors
Source: developed by authors
4.4 Limitations
As our research is limited in time and space as any
research we have conducted the main research
activities including the survey in the period from
September 2022 to February 2023. As for the
location it was limited to AL Qassim region.
5 Research Analysis & Reporting
This study examines the results obtained from data
collection and analysis using IBM SPSS and
SmartPLS software. In Table 1 we summed up the
main demographics.
Profile of Respondents
The most important details in this text are that 78.9%
of the respondents are male, while 21.1% are female.
A majority of respondents are between the ages of
20-29, followed by 40-49 years (10.1%), 30-39 years
(9%), and 50 years and over (1.8%). In terms of
marital status, 80% of respondents are single, 18.4%
are married, 1.3% are divorced, and 0.2% are
widowed. In terms of education levels, 57.9% of the
respondents hold a bachelor's degree, 34.6% have
completed secondary school, 6.1% have a Ph.D., and
1.3% have a master's degree. In terms of
employment, 68.9% are students, 17.5% are private
sector employees, 7.7% are civil servants, 3.3% work
in other fields, and 2.6% have liberal jobs.
Table 1. Summary of Demographic Information
Variables
Category
Frequen
cy
Gender
Male
360
Female
96
Age
20 - 29 Years
361
40 - 49 Years
46
30 - 39 Years
41
50 Years & Over
8
Marital
Status
Single
365
Married
84
Divorced
6
Widowed
1
Educatio
n
Level
Bachelor
264
Secondary School
158
PhD
28
Master
6
Job
Student
314
Private Sector Employee
80
Civil Servant
35
Other
15
Liberal Jobs
12
Tourism
Domestic Tourism
243
Preferen
ce
International Tourism
213
Hotel
Class
Fiver Stars And Over
141
Three -Four Stars
127
Unclassified
101
One - Two Stars
87
Social
Media
Other
109
Snapchat
94
Twitter
44
Twitter, Instagram, TikTok,
Snapchat
41
Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat
16
Twitter, Snapchat
16
Twitter, Instagram, TikTok,
Snapchat, Other
12
Facebook
11
Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat
11
TikTok, Snapchat
10
Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat
10
Platform/
Applicati
on
Booking
165
Other
163
Booking, Other
24
Booking, Wego
17
Almosafer
15
Booking, Almosafer
11
Wego
9
Agoda
5
Booking, Agoda
4
Booking, Agoda, Wego
4
Trip Advisor
4
Booking, Almosafer, Wego
3
Booking, Trivago
3
Trivago
3
Booking, Trip Advisor, Trivago
2
Booking, Trip Advisor, Trivago,
Almosafer, Agoda, Wego, Other
2
Booking, Trivago, Almosafer
2
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When it comes to tourism preferences, 53.3%
prefer domestic tourism, 46.7% favor international
tourism, 30.9% choose five stars and over, 27.9%
prefer three-four stars, 22.1% opt for unclassified
hotels, and 19.1% go for one-two star hotels. In
Table 2 below, we will spell out the main
components of the descriptive analysis together with
Data normality.
Descriptive Analysis
Table 2. Descriptive Analysis and Data Normality
Variable
s
N
Me
an
Std.
Devi
ation
Ske
wnes
s
St
d.
Er
ro
r
Kur
tosis
St
d.
Er
ro
r
Fake
eWO
M
4
5
6
4.5
06
2
.4744
0
-.119
.11
4
-
1.62
1
.22
8
Purcha
se
Intenti
on
4
5
6
4.0
59
2
.6421
8
.025
.11
4
-
.736
.22
8
Attitud
e
4
5
6
4.1
06
1
.5273
7
.078
.11
4
-
.356
.22
8
Brand
Reputa
tion
4
5
6
4.0
61
4
.5793
6
.015
.11
4
-
.597
.22
8
Qualit
y of
Inform
ation
4
5
6
4.0
96
5
.5800
5
-.036
.11
4
-
.667
.22
8
Ease of
Access
ibility
4
5
6
4.0
46
8
.6098
5
.036
.11
4
-
.752
.22
8
Table 3 presents the descriptive analysis and data
normality of the variables in the study, including fake
eWOM, purchase intention, attitude, brand
reputation, quality of information, and ease of
accessibility. The mean scores range from 4.0468
(Ease of Accessibility) to 4.5062 (Fake eWOM), and
the standard deviation values range from 0.47440
(Fake eWOM) to 0.64218 (Purchase Intention).
Skewness and kurtosis values are considered for
assessing data normality, and all variables have
skewness and kurtosis values within this acceptable
range, indicating that the data are normally
distributed.
5.1 Measurement Model
This study developed a measurement model to
illustrate the relationships between latent variables
and their indicators. The researchers employed
SmartPLS software for confirmatory factor analysis
(CFA) and adapted scales from previous literature.
The questionnaire was well-designed and underwent
rigorous pre-testing. To assess the CFA, three main
evaluations were employed: internal consistency,
convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The
measurement model features a reflective-formative
hierarchical research model with a disjoint two-stage
approach.
The first-order constructs were based on the
standard model, with direct relationships from the
first-order constructs of all the exogenous latent
variables to the three first-order constructs of the
endogenous variable. The second-order exogenous
variables included Fake eWOM, Attitude, Brand
Reputation, Quality of Information, and Ease of
Accessibility. Purchase Intention was considered an
endogenous second-order variable. All readings are
based on loadings displayed in the measurement
model.
Internal Consistency Reliability
The researchers tested three criteria to measure the
internal consistency of the data: Cronbach's Alpha,
Composite Reliability, and Dijkstra-Henseler's rho
values. Dijkstra-Henseler's rho is considered the
more consistent measurement in measuring internal
consistency reliability using PLS-SEM. Cronbach's
Alpha is the lower level for reliability access, but the
value for Cronbach's Alpha was found to be
sufficient, [16], [17].
Assessment of the formative measurement
models
The study checked for potential collinearity concerns
among the first-order constructs by calculating
variance inflation factor (VIF) values for all
subdimensions. The findings indicated that all
formative measurement models were unaffected by
collinearity. Additionally, the contribution of each
first-order construct to the higher-order constructs
was evaluated. The weights of first-order constructs
on the higher-order constructs and their significance
were inspected using BCa bootstrap confidence
intervals. All first-order constructs exhibited positive
and significant associations with their respective
higher-order constructs, in line with theoretical
expectations. Table 3 summarizes the VIF values,
weights, and their significance.
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Table 3. VIF Values, weights, and their significance
Second-
order
First-order
constructs
VIF
values
Weights
Significance
Brand
Reputation
Fake eWOM
1.017
0.445
0.000
Attitude
1.015
0.274
0.000
Purchase
Brand
Reputation
1.021
0.159
0.000
Intention
Ease of
Accessibility
1.714
0.489
0.000
Quality of
Information
1.702
0.385
0.000
Table 3 displays the VIF values, weights, and
significance for first-order constructs in the second-
order model. For Brand Reputation, Fake eWOM and
Attitude have VIF values of 1.017 and 1.015,
respectively. Purchase Intention, Brand Reputation,
Ease of Accessibility, and Quality of Information
have VIF values of 1.021, 1.714, and 1.702. Their
weights on Purchase Intention are 0.159, 0.489, and
0.385, with 0.000 significance levels.
Fig. 3: Measurement Model
Figure 3 above illustrates our Measurement
Model.
Structural model
For the structural model, researchers established the
links between the construct with a set of paths that
explained the hypothesis developed. To access the
structural model, the assessment took into account
the issue of collinearity among all the predictors, the
significance of the hypothesized relationships, and
the value of the coefficient of the determinant (R2),
effect size (f2), and predictive relevance (Q2). In the
Table 4, we find a summary of R2 .
R Square
Table 4. R2 Summary
R2
Cohen
(1988)
Chin
(1998)
Hair et
al.
(2014)
Purchase
Intention
0.26
9
modera
te
modera
te
modera
te
The R2 value for Purchase Intention, as shown in
Table 4, is 0.269. According to the guidelines
provided, this value is considered moderate,
indicating that the model has a moderate predictive
ability for the Purchase Intention construct, [17],
[18], [19]. In Table 5 below we will show the Effect
Size f2 .
Effect Size (f2)
Table 5. Effect Size f2
Purchase Intention
Effect Size
(Cohen, 1988)
Brand Reputation
0.015
Small
Ease of Accessibility
0.122
Small
Quality of Information
0.015
Small
Fig. 4: Structural Model
In Figure 4, we explained our Structural Model.
Hypothesis Testing
This study formulated eight direct hypotheses
between constructs and an additional hypothesis to
examine the mediating effect. A one-tailed test was
used for five direct hypotheses and a two-tailed test
for the mediating hypothesis. T-statistics were
generated using the bootstrapping method to assess
the significance level of these hypotheses. Table 6
summarizes the Direct Hypothesis Testing Results:
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Table 6. Direct Hypothesis Testing
Hyp
Link
Be
ta
S
D
T
Va
lue
P
Val
ues
Deci
sion
H1
Fake eWOM -> Brand
Reputation
0.
01
2
0.
03
7
0.0
31
0.9
75
Not
Support
ed
H2
Attitude -> Brand
Reputation
0.
71
2
0.
02
7
25.
87
3
0.0
00
Support
ed***
H4
Brand Reputation ->
Purchase Intention
0.
10
7
0.
04
0
2.7
04
0.0
07
Support
ed***
H5
Ease of Accessibility ->
Purchase Intention
0.
39
0
0.
05
5
7.0
59
0.0
00
Support
ed***
H6
Quality of Information->
Purchase Intention
0.
13
8
0.
05
6
2.3
95
0.0
17
Support
ed***
Moderating Effects
H3
Attitude x Fake eWOM -
> Brand Reputation
0.
04
9
0.
03
6
1.4
38
0.1
51
Not
Support
ed
H7
Quality of Information x
Brand Reputation ->
Purchase Intention
0.
05
5
0.
05
2
1.0
80
0.2
80
Not
Support
ed
H8
Ease of Accessibility x
Brand Reputation ->
Purchase Intention
-
0.
10
7
0.
05
4
2.0
45
0.0
41
Support
ed***
Note: Significance Value = <0.05***
Table 6 presents the results of direct hypothesis
testing for this study, which includes beta
coefficients, standard deviations, t-values, p-values,
and the decision to support or reject each hypothesis.
6 Results Discussion
Based on the Data Analysis researchers can
summarize the research findings as follows:
1. Fake eWOM does not have a significant
impact on Brand Reputation.
2. Attitude significantly influences Brand
Reputation.
3. Brand Reputation significantly influences
Purchase Intention.
4. Ease of Accessibility significantly affects
Purchase Intention.
5. Quality of Information significantly
influences Purchase Intention.
6. The interaction between Attitude and Fake
eWOM does not significantly affect Brand
Reputation in the context of this study.
7. The interaction between the Quality of
Information and Brand Reputation does not
significantly affect Purchase Intention in the
context of this study.
8. The interaction between Ease of
Accessibility and Brand Reputation
significantly influences Purchase Intention in
this study.
Although generally speaking this research results
seem to comfort previous studies as seen in the
literature review and theoretical framework, one
striking surprise relates to our main hypothesis i.e.
how fake eWOM is impacting Brand Reputation.
When it comes to Customer purchase intentions,
many factors proved to impact significantly namely
Brand Reputation, Attitude, Ease of Accessibility,
and quality of information result which was expected
from the outset. So one can assume that if there is
some impact of eWOM on Brand Reputation it is
either insignificant statistically or of indirect nature
owing to some intermediary variables that should be
investigated eventually in the future.
It seems that eWOM in our research does not
have the expected significant impact on Brand
Reputation which was our main hypothesis. This
might be explained either by the weak internet
penetration /digitalization of the respondent
population which is far from the reality in the Saudi
context. Or by the strength of the Marketing/
Promotion campaigning of the Tourism actors to
counterattack potential fake eWOM. Alternatively,
the type of booking in the Saudi context might be the
explanation as most nationals at least as far as
Domestic destinations are concerned would prefer a
walking-in direct booking rather than eBooking
especially in the case of apart-hotels which are
generally preferred to hotels due to the large family
size and/ or affordable prices.
When it comes to Customer Purchase Intentions,
no surprise as all of the Brand Reputation, Attitude,
Ease of Accessibility, and quality of information are
impacting significantly the customer.
7 Limitations & Future Research
More studies need to further investigate the possible
impacts of Fake eWOM on Brand Reputation in
other geographical zones (comparative studies) as
well as to measure exactly the ratio of eWOM to the
WOM itself as it seems from our present research
that may be the traditional WOM is still predominant
in shaping Brand Reputation but could not be singled
out given our hypothesis setting, [20].
However, all traditional (not electronic)
influencers are major players in directing the
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DOI: 10.37394/23207.2024.21.47
Abdul Wahab Alwahashi, Ahmed Medjedel
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Volume 21, 2024
customer purchasing Compass which confirms
previous studies.
To conclude and to our humble knowledge, this
field of Marketing/ Management studies is yet at its
first steps especially when we focus on the possible
impacts of Digital Marketing/ Social Media
Marketing on the eCustomer while consuming
Tourism products in this booming region (KSA) with
high incomers.
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Abdul Wahab Alwahashi, Ahmed Medjedel
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8
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problem to the final findings and solution.
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Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself:
No funding was received for conducting this study.
Conflict of Interest:
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on BUSINESS and ECONOMICS
DOI: 10.37394/23207.2024.21.47
Abdul Wahab Alwahashi, Ahmed Medjedel
E-ISSN: 2224-2899
574
Volume 21, 2024