Enhancing Tourist Awareness and Preferences Through eBECA: A Digital Empowerment Approach

Abstract

This study explores the influence of social media information, knowledge and attitude on tourist awareness and preference for eBECA an electric trishaw-based mobility intervention created to enhance sustainable urban tourism in Melaka. The study adopts a quantitative methodology for this purpose, survey data were collected from 212 participants who are familiar with smart tourism systems. Results of the statistical test namely correlation and regression show that the information, knowledge and attitude towards social media jointly account for 86.4% of variation in tourist preference. The results imply that tourists’ knowledge and preferences are heavily affected by their exposure to digital information and positive environmental attitudes. Additionally, digital literacy and promotion of sustainable mobility websites like eBECA increase tourists’ intension in adopting green transportation modes. It adds to the literature on smart tourism by showing that digital literacy and technology-based strategies can encourage environmentally friendly travel behavior. Suggestions are made to clawback soft power by linking up social media engagement, education on sustainability and inclusive digital design in aid of more robust tourist judgements, and sustainable tourism development in heritage cities.