Motivations to engage in eWom among Muslim tourists: A study of inbound Muslim tourists to Malaysia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivations to engage in eWom in the information search stage among Muslim tourists. Specifically the study focused on inbound Muslim tourists in Malaysia. A non-probability judgmental sampling approach was employed to collect data in two major cities in Malaysia. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on the motivation scale. Reliability and validity of the scale was established through Cronbach s alpha analyses, average variance extracted (AVE) composite reliability and critical ratios. Findings indicate that similar to non-Muslim tourists, Muslim tourists also engage in eWom for convenience, social reassurance and social acceptance. The results indicate that Muslim tourists are not that much different from non-Muslim tourists. Strategic implications and directions for future research are discussed.