Component Analysis for Driving Factors of Social Media Usage in Elderly Tourism

Abstract

The mobile users have become the paradigm shift of the people communication since the social media application on mobile phone has been introduced. It has been widely used among people, especially, elderly. There is a variety of use in social media application. In addition, the important area used by elderly is tourism. This study analyses the components of factors influencing social media usage in the tourism industry among the elderly. This is to understand, engaging, and user-friendly while inspiring travel. Mobile applications are also essential tools that make it easier for elderly individuals to access tourism information. By utilizing mobile applications, travel routes, accommodation information and points of interest can be presented in ways that help elderly individuals prepare more effectively before traveling. Presenting tourism information through mobile applications also allows elderly individuals to explore destinations in advance, reducing concerns and increasing confidence in travel planning. Moreover, social media helps the elderly feel confident and fully informed before visiting a destination on their own. The research sample consisted of n=405 elderly individuals aged 60 years and older who have used social media for tourism in Thailand. The sample was selected using a multi-stage random sampling method, and the sample size was calculated using Yamane’s (1973) formula at a 0.95 confidence level and a 0.5 acceptable error rate. The social platforms empower elderly individuals to feel confident and well-informed before visiting destinations in person. Nevertheless, the driving factors to encourage elderly usage over the tourism social media are needed to provide the appropriate features on the application. Therefore, this research studied the component analysis which the results reveal that the influence of social media usage through mobile applications significantly impacts elderly participation in online tourism platforms. Notably, enjoyment in sharing experiences, such as interacting with others, accounts for 30.041% of data variance; ease of communication, such as using social media to search for information and contact service providers, accounts for 27.238% and collaborative learning, such as using social media with friends or within online groups, accounts for 21.77%. The study highlights that multimedia usage among the elderly in the tourism industry with Facebook and YouTube as primary platforms on mobile applications holds strong potential within elderly communities. Multimedia serves not only as a vital source of information but also as a tool to build confidence, provide enjoyment and foster connections between the elderly and online communities. Research on factors influencing social media use in elderly tourism, particularly in Thailand, is limited. This study explores factors affecting elderly use of mobile applications, including enjoyment of sharing experiences, communication convenience, and collaborative learning in online groups – areas not thoroughly examined in existing studies. Additionally, the use of multimedia on platforms like Facebook and YouTube in elderly tourism contexts remains understudied. This research addresses this gap by providing a detailed exploration of social media use among the elderly and the role of mobile technology in promoting tourism within this demographic.