How social media sharing shapes destination choice: The roles of destination attractiveness and tour programs

This study investigates how destination attractiveness influences destination choice by examining the mediating role of tour programs and the moderating role of social media sharing within the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework. Data were collected through a survey of 452 domestic and international tourists visiting Cappadocia and analyzed using structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro. The findings indicate that destination attractiveness, tour programs, and social media sharing each positively affect destination choice. Tour programs partially mediate the relationship between destination attractiveness and destination choice, while social media sharing strengthens the effect of destination attractiveness on tour programs but does not moderate the relationship between tour programs and destination choice. The study extends the S–O–R framework by integrating tour programs and social media sharing into destination choice processes and offers practical implications for destination managers, tour operators, and tourism marketers.