Determinants of Tourism Information Quality and Their Mediating Role in Destination Image Formation on Social Media: Evidence from an SEM Approach

This study explores how the quality of tourism-related information shared on social media shapes destination image, focusing on the context of Bangladesh. It examines a range of information cues, including content-related factors such as value addition, relevance, timeliness, completeness, and interestingness, along with non-content elements like the volume of information available. The main objective is to assess how these aspects of information quality influence the development of destination image through social media platforms. A mixed analytical approach was adopted, combining quantitative and descriptive methods. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 384 active social media users. Demographic characteristics of the respondents were analysed using SPSS version 25, while hypothesis testing was conducted through structural equation modelling using Smart PLS. The findings reveal that both content and non-content dimensions of tourism information quality have a significant impact on the cognitive and affective components of destination image, which in turn influence the conative image. Additionally, the results demonstrate that cognitive and affective images play a significant mediating role in the relationship between information cues and conative image formation. By providing empirical evidence, this research extends existing knowledge on tourism information quality in social media settings, particularly by emphasising its contextual attributes. The study underscores the importance of these factors in shaping destination images and offers practical insights for policymakers, researchers, and tourism practitioners seeking to enhance destination image formation through high-quality social media content.