How Does the Knowledge Association of Online Travel Reviews Affect Tourism Purchase Behavior? An Empirical Study Based on Knowledge Network Perspective

Online travel reviews, as a pivotal form of user-generated content, have become essential for disseminating tourism information, aiding decision-making, and facilitating experience sharing. While existing research primarily focuses on the overall impact of reviews on tourism purchasing behaviors, there is a noticeable lack of detailed analysis regarding the influence of the embedded knowledge content and structural features within these reviews on consumer decisions. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the impact of knowledge associations in online travel reviews on tourism purchasing behavior from the perspective of a knowledge network. Utilizing data from 314 tourism products sourced from a Chinese online travel agency (OTA) platform, this research constructs a knowledge network using Chinese word segmentation tools and semantic association analysis methods. It explores how knowledge association, knowledge heterogeneity, and knowledge cohesion influence purchasing behaviors. The findings indicate a U-shaped relationship between knowledge association, knowledge heterogeneity, and online tourism purchase behavior. Furthermore, knowledge heterogeneity serves as a mediator in the relationship between knowledge association and purchasing behavior, while knowledge cohesion acts as a moderator. This study enriches the understanding of the characteristics of knowledge networks and tourism consumer behavior, providing theoretical support for the study of tourism network marketing and consumer behavior.