From vision to venture: understanding the role of social media in influencing trip planning for Indian solo travelers

This study examines the factors influencing solo travellers’ social media-based trip planning intentions by extending the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Drawing on survey data from 590 respondents collected from solo travellers in India, the proposed model integrates perceived ease of use (PEoU), perceived usefulness (PU), trust (TR), electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), and travel motivation (TM) to explain attitudes and behavioural intentions towards social media use in travel planning. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling with SmartPLS 4.0. The findings reveal that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust, and electronic word-of-mouth significantly shape travellers’ attitudes towards social media and their intentions to use it for trip planning. Additionally, travel motivation plays a moderating role by strengthening the relationship between attitudes and behavioural intentions, thereby improving the model’s predictive and explanatory power. Theoretically, this study contributes by enriching the technology acceptance model with social influence and motivational factors, offering a more comprehensive explanation of solo travellers’ technology-related decision-making. From a managerial perspective, the results highlight the importance of building trustworthy, user-friendly, and information-rich social media platforms that align with travellers’ motivational drivers. Overall, the study fills an important gap.