Information Usefulness Versus Ease of Use: Which Makes a Destination Website More Persuasive?

It is important that destination marketing organizations (DMOs) understand how website design influences consumers' interest in visiting a destination. Grounded in psychological theories of emotions, this study proposes a model to predict interest in visiting the destination. Results of structural equation modeling indicate that perceived information usefulness and perceived ease of use have a positive effect on perceived enjoyment, which in turn has a positive impact on interest in visiting the destination. In addition, perceived ease of use has a much stronger effect on interest in visiting than perceived information usefulness. Implications for marketing practice and future research are discussed.