Social Media Envy and Its Influence on Tourists’ Variety-seeking Behavior in Destination Choices

Social media can trigger both benign and malicious envy among tourists. While the existing research primarily emphasizes its negative effects, this study suggests that malicious envy can positively influence variety-seeking behavior in the selection of travel activities. Drawing on the compensatory control theory, this study explores the influence of envy on tourists’ variety-seeking tendencies. Findings from five experiments reveal that tourists who experience malicious (vs. benign) envy demonstrate stronger variety-seeking tendencies. Perceived control is a mediator, explaining the underlying mechanism of the effect. Furthermore, this study identifies the moderating role of social crowding. The feeling of malicious envy has a stronger positive impact on tourists’ variety-seeking tendencies when they visit crowded (vs. uncrowded) destinations. This study provides practical insights for travel managers by suggesting that they can leverage social media to promote diverse travel choices.