Factors of Social Networking Influencing Tourists' Destination Selection in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

Objective: The overarching objective of this study is to identify the salient factors within social networks, specifically Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and their impact on tourists' decision-making processes in selecting Ho Chi Minh City as a destination. Subsequently, we offer managerial recommendations aimed at aiding tourism enterprises in Vietnam to enhance their understanding of the social network components that positively influence tourists' choices to visit. Furthermore, we suggest potential avenues for performance enhancement to optimize advertising effectiveness across social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.   Theoretical Framework: To date, numerous international research endeavors have scrutinized the determinants within social networks that shape tourists' intentions and decision-making processes regarding travel destination selection. However, within the Vietnamese context, scholarly investigations have predominantly centered on factors such as pricing, destination imagery, quality, and allure, while neglecting to explore the influence of social network factors on tourists' decisions regarding destination selection in Ho Chi Minh City. Consequently, the thematic focus on "Factors of Social Networks Influencing Tourists' Destination Selection Decisions in Ho Chi Minh City" represents an evolutionary progression from antecedent research studies, albeit purposefully tailored and refined by the researcher to align with their specific research aims.   Method: The quantitative data gathered aimed to systematically examine and comprehend tourists' behaviors in their decision-making processes regarding destination selections facilitated by social media platforms. Employing an online survey hosted on Google Forms facilitated the data collection endeavor. The survey instrument featured a Likert scale spanning from 1 to 5, encompassing response categories delineated as follows: (1) Strongly Disagree, (2) Disagree, (3) Neutral, (4) Agree, and (5) Strongly Agree.   Results and Discussion: Following the regression model analysis conducted on a dataset comprising 307 survey samples, the researcher observed the rejection of one initial research hypothesis, denoted as H1, while five subsequent hypotheses, namely H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6, were accepted. This determination was made based on the statistical significance values (Sig.) obtained from the t-test results presented in Table 4.19. Notably, factors with Sig. > 0.05 were deemed lacking in statistical significance, indicating a negligible influence on the dependent variable. Specifically, hypothesis H1, which pertained to the subjective norm factor, was rejected due to its Sig. value exceeding 0.05 (Sig. = 0.651). Conversely, the five accepted hypotheses (H2, H3, H4, H5) all demonstrated Sig. values below 0.05 (Sig. = 0.000). In summary, the study effectively achieves its predetermined objectives by identifying and analyzing five social media factors influencing tourists' destination selection decisions in Ho Chi Minh City. Additionally, the research assesses the magnitude of their impact and examines disparities in research outcomes across different customer segments in Ho Chi Minh City concerning travel destination decisions. Based on these findings, the researcher proposes managerial implications to support tourism businesses in Vietnam intending to utilize social media platforms for advertising. These implications aim to furnish essential insights for selecting and prioritizing key factors when designing advertising campaigns on social media, thereby enhancing brand effectiveness.