Exploring the Determinants of e-WoM influence: An Empirical Study on Tourist visiting Varanasi

In the 21st century, as companies are changing their approach towards customer through e-commerce, electronic word of mouth has gained importance among the marketers. Customer as well as marketer can reach out to each other through e-WoM which is spreading at a rapid pace with the technological advancement in information communication technology. Earlier studies found that the customer gives importance to information from a credible source. It further found that customer purchases a product when they trust the recommendation by family or friends and buys a product when they are aware about it through e-WoM platform. These findings were brought in academic world after surveying globally, but the belief of Indian customers on e-WoM platform for online purchasing is yet to be checked. Hence it was felt to study the factors that facilitate this reach as e-WoM is spreading its presence over traditional means of communication in the digital era. This study aims to explore the determinants of e Word of Mouth influence on Indian Tourist for service booking. Further it tries to find the pattern of various factors that affects the e word of mouth influence on tourist intention to book a service. For the purpose, 225 Indian tourists, using snowball sampling, through online mode were surveyed. To achieve the objective, Exploratory Factor Analysis was used. Sample of our study includes the tourists visiting Varanasi for pilgrimage purpose, staying in various Guest Houses located near Dashashwamedh Ghat. The study found that Source Credibility enhances Trustworthiness and it is essential for a consumer to have awareness about the e-WoM before assessing a source as credible.