Determinants of Mobile Tourism: An Emerging Market Perspective

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and palm oil industry (New Straits Times, 2012). Hence, the purpose of this study is about developing a conceptual framework that explain and predict the core determinants that influence mobile tourism adoption in Malaysia. The research that we conducted focuses on generation Y. This is further supported by the statistics that revealed Malaysia has the youngest mobile internet user base in Southeast Asia with 64% of users ranging from the age of 18 to 35 (Mobile Marketing Association, 2013).

1.3 Research Objectives

Research objective provides a clear path and focus for researchers.

1.3.1 General Objective

The main focus of this research is to investigate the determinants that influence Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption in Malaysia.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

The factors examined in this research are performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, wireless trust and perceived risk.

The objectives of our research are as follows:

1. To examine the relationship between performance expectancy and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

2. To examine the relationship between effort expectancy and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

3. To examine the relationship between social influence and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

4. To examine the relationship between facilitating condition and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

5. To examine the relationship between wireless trust and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

6. To examine the relationship between perceived risk and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism.

1.4 Research Questions

Based on the objectives of our study, research questions that are need to be answered are as follows:

1. Does performance expectancy affect Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

2. Does effort expectancy affect Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

3. Does social influence affect Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

4. Does facilitating condition affect Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

5. Does affect wireless trust Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

6. Does perceived risk affect Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards adopting mobile tourism?

1.5 Hypothesis of the Study

Findings from past researches along with the objectives of the study lead to the development of the following hypotheses.

H1: There is significant relationship between performance expectancy and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

H2: There is significant relationship between effort expectancy and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

H3: There is significant relationship between social influence and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

H4: There is significant relationship between facilitating condition and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

H5: There is significant relationship between wireless trust and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

H6: There is significant relationship between perceived risk and Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Mobile commerce is gaining popularity in becoming an interesting research topic in tourism industry due to its potentiality in overcoming the barriers of e-commerce. Thus, the purpose of the study is to serve as a foundation for Malaysia tourism service provider to gain better insight of the factors influencing the behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption in Malaysia, enabling them to gather sufficient knowledge and capability to grab the upcoming golden opportunity.

Understanding the factors that drive Gen Y’s behavioral intention towards mobile tourism adoption is crucial to business success and longevity. Constructs that has the greatest influence can act as guidance for tourism-related companies or Malaysian marketers who wish to build their market share in mobile tourism area. Simultaneously, the study can help them to understand how are those factors affecting consumers’ behavioral intention towards adoption mobile tourism.

1.7 Conclusion

In brief, chapter one provides an overview of the study of mobile tourism. It highlighted some of the main aspects of m-commerce and mobile tourism to better understand Gen Y’s behavior and acceptance towards new technology innovation. Further review of relevant studies and past researches will be continued in the following chapter.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter starts with a brief review of five related models that have widely adopted in past studies to predict the behavioral intention towards new technology. Then, this chapter continues with the six core determinants related to mobile tourism adoption, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, wireless trust and perceived risk used in proposed conceptual framework. Lastly, this chapter will be covering all