The role of information sources and image on the intention to visit a medical tourism destination: a cross-cultural analysis |
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Authors: | Andrea de la Hoz-Correa Francisco Muñoz-Leiva |
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Institution: | Department of Marketing and Market Research, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain |
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Abstract: | This paper intends to analyze: 1) how information sources, eWOM, and image influence the intention to visit a medical tourism destination;2) the moderating role of culture and 3) cross-cultural differences based on Hofstede’s individualism and uncertainty avoidance. A total of 534 responses were collected using a panel of internet users from six different countries and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and a series of t-tests. The results show that information sources influence cognitive impressions and in conjunction with overall image and medical cognitive image influence the intention to visit a medical tourism destination. Furthermore, individualism and uncertainty avoidance have a moderating effect among these variables and cross-cultural differences exist in the degree of importance given to information sources, eWOM, image perceptions, and intention. |
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Keywords: | Medical tourism health care information sources eWOM destination image intention to visit Hofstede’s dimensions uncertainty avoidance individualism cross-cultural |
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