The Role of Online Reviews in Enhancing Tourist Citizenship Behaviour in Local Destinations

Abstract

In light of the rapid development of digital platforms and the growing reliance of tourists on online reviews when making travel decisions, the importance of examining the role of these reviews in shaping positive behaviors that support tourism destinations has become increasingly evident. This study aimed to analyze the impact of online reviews, through their dimensions: credibility, informativeness, and review valence (positive or negative), on Tourist Citizenship Behavior in local tourism destinations across the dimensions of advocacy, helping, tolerance and feedback. It also examined the mediating roles of Destination Psychological Ownership and Place Identity, as well as the effect of Tourist Citizenship Behavior on tourists’ willingness to sacrifice for the destination. This study adopted a hypothetical deductive approach. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 219 tourists who had previously visited local tourism destinations in Algeria and relied on online reviews when selecting their destinations. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS.26 and SmartPLS.4 software. The results revealed a significant positive effect of online reviews on Tourist Citizenship Behavior. They also demonstrated that online reviews contribute to strengthening both Destination Psychological Ownership and Place Identity among tourists. Furthermore, the findings confirmed the mediating role of these two variables in explaining the relationship between online reviews and Tourist Citizenship Behavior. In addition, Tourist Citizenship Behavior was found to have a positive effect on tourists’ willingness to incur costs and make sacrifices in support of the destination. Based on these findings, the study provides a set of recommendations for tourism destination managers and stakeholders aimed at strengthening tourists’ attachment to destinations and encouraging supportive behaviors that contribute to destination sustainability and competitiveness.