How Do Information Sources Influence the Purchases of Tourism, Culture, and Entertainment? An Analysis of China Family Panel Studies Data

Abstract

Information sources affect people’s tourism, culture, and entertainment buying. It is therefore important to study the apportionment effects by information source type and comprehensively analyze how information sources positively or negatively impact the consumption of tourism, culture, and entertainment. This research analyzed the influence of four information sources on such buying based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2018. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among variables. The findings were that: (1) information sources (Internet, broadcast, print, and word of mouth) had a significant positive impact on tourism, culture, and entertainment buying; (2) the effects of information were significantly different based on age, education level, and place of residence (urban vs. rural); and (3) information source digitalization increased the share of TCE consumption in overall household consumption through improving social interactions and convenience of transactions. The findings contribute to alleviating the information asymmetry in tourism consumption, helping tourism enterprises develop targeted marketing measures, and promoting the improvement of residents’ tourism consumption.