Conceptualisation of Web site engagement and its effects within tourism e-marketing

Abstract

Consumer engagement (CE) has gained rapidly growing practitioner and researcher interest in recent years (Kumar et al., 2019; Rather et al., 2021). Engaged consumers, account for 7-23% revenue growth, while disengaged consumers generate an average 1-13% revenue decline (Kumar & Pansari, 2016). CE’s definition is also broadly debated. For instance, Kumar et al. (2019, p. 141) define CE as “a consumer’s volitional investment of focal operant resources (including cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social knowledge/skills), and operand resources (e.g., equipment) in [their] brand interactions”. Within this context, the objective of this research is to suggest a Web site engagement definition, scale and model. Managerial effects are analysed. Data is obtained from the online tourism industry. The methodology combines elementary information processes, clickstream and survey data. ManMarketing Science Institute’s Research Priorities since 2010 (e.g., MSI, 2020). Gallup Research advocates that engaged consumers, on average, account for 7-23% revenue growth, while disengaged consumers generate an average 1-13% revenue decline (Kumar & Pansari, 2016). CE’s definition is also broadly debated. For instance, Kumar et al. (2019, p. 141) define CE as “a consumer’s volitional investment of focal operant resources (including cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social knowledge/skills), and operand resources (e.g., equipment) in [their] brand interactions”. The objective of this research is to participate in the debate by suggesting a Web site engagement scale.