Navigating the Post-Pandemic Era: The Mediating Role of Relationship Quality and Perceived Value on Cruise Passengers’ E-WOM in Taiwan

Abstract

Prompted by the severe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Taiwan’s cruise industry, this research aims to explore the potential role of corporate social responsibility (CSR), relationship quality (RQ), and perceived value (PV) in reviving cruise tourism. The central research question focuses on how these constructs motivate Taiwanese passengers’ engagement in cruise tourism and shape their electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) behavior in the post-pandemic era. Therefore, a comprehensive theoretical model was proposed to evaluate cruise operators’ relationship-building strategies. The research method involved a convenience sampling approach to gather a robust dataset of 566 valid responses from a questionnaire survey. The data were rigorously analyzed using statistical software, SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0, via the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings reveal that CSR and RQ substantially impact customers’ E-WOM and identified PV and RQ as salient mediators between CSR and E-WOM. In conclusion, this research enriches our understanding of the recovering cruise industry’s operation model in the post-pandemic phase. It provides academically grounded insights into how enhanced relationship building, CSR, and PV generation can enable cruise operators to influence E-WOM behavior positively.