Tourist Attitudes and Participation in the Sharing Economy: Insights from the Tricity Region

Abstract

This paper investigates tourist behavior towards sharing economy services using a comprehensive framework encompassing the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. By analyzing the impact of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of quality on tourists' intentions and actual usage of sharing economy platforms, the study reveals that attitudes significantly drive adoption, while subjective norms and perceived quality also play substantial roles. Utilizing a sample from the Tricity region, the research employs factor analysis, reliability testing, and hypothesis testing to examine the relationships between these variables. The findings highlight that positive attitudes and strong intentions are strong predictors of actual usage, providing valuable insights into enhancing user engagement. Managerial implications suggest that service providers should focus on improving attitudes towards their platforms, leveraging social influence, and ensuring high-quality service to drive adoption and convert intentions into actual usage. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of tourist behavior in the sharing economy and offers actionable strategies for businesses to thrive in this evolving sector.