From Tiktok to Travel: The Influence of User Experience in Information System (IS) Service Quality and Digital Engagement Shape Gen Z’s Food Tourism Intentions in Malaysia
Authors
School of Business, INTI International College Penang (Malaysia)
Jabatan Pengurusan dan Peniagaan, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)
Jabatan Pengurusan dan Peniagaan, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)
Sitti Aminah Baharuddin Fatin Alia Shahar
School of Business, INTI International College Penang (Malaysia)
Article Information
DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100374
Subject Category: Economics
Volume/Issue: 9/11 | Page No: 4763-4770
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2025-11-27
Accepted: 2025-12-03
Published: 2025-12-11
Abstract
Food and social media have risen in popularity with posting and sharing amongst younger generations. Modern youth represent a level of expertise or comfort with technology. This paper aims to analyse and compare food-tourism sharing behavior in TikTok across. Adopting a quantitative research approach a response from the sample of 315 respondents will be collected among the online consumer which is primary data obtained through questionnaires. The sampling technique was a purposive sampling technique. The data collection method used in this research is allocating an opinion poll online using Google Forms. The findings of this research will be beneficial to tourism marketers in Malaysia by delivering insights into Gen Z’s food travel behavior on TikTok, which empower them to grow in strategies in the direction of entice young travelers indirectly boost the branding of food tourism destinations.
Keywords
In the contemporary globalized environment
Downloads
References
1. Abdou, A. H., Mohamed, S. A. K., Khalil, A. A. F., Albakhit, A. I., & Alarjani, A. J. N. (2022). Modeling the relationship between perceived service quality, tourist satisfaction, and tourists’ behavioral intentions amid COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence of yoga tourists’ perspectives. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1003650 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
2. Aenussyifa, H., Lattu, A., & Rosita, M. D. (2025). The Influence of User Experience on Customer Engagement in Grab Application: A SERVQUAL Approach for Service Quality Evaluation. Teknika, 14(3), 397–407. https://doi.org/10.34148/teknika.v14i3.1328 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
3. Ahmad, R., Baharuddin, S. A. B., & Azmi, N. A. (2024). The Role of Digital Marketing as a Resilience Factor in Cultural Heritage Tourism: A Conceptual Paper - International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/the-role-of-digital-marketing-as-a-resilience-factor-in-cultural-heritage-tourism-a-conceptual-paper/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
4. Al Nady, B. A. H. A., Mohammad, A. A. S., Alolayyan, M. N., & Al Hawary, S. I. S. (2018). Banking service quality provided by commercial banks and customer satisfaction. A structural equation modelling approaches. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 24(4), 543. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijpqm.2018.10014459 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
5. Al-Azawei, A., & Alowayr, A. (2025). Predicting the Acceptance of Informal Learning Technologies: A Case of the TikTok Application. Education Sciences, 15(3), 362. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030362 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
6. Alik Alpian, & RA Nurlinda. (2023). The Influence of System Quality, Information Quality, and Service Quality on User Satisfaction Through Use in The Blibli Marketplace. Asian Journal of Engineering Social and Health, 2(3), 188–204. https://doi.org/10.46799/ajesh.v2i3.46 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
7. Bhagat, S., Khanna, S., Sharma, P., & Dada. (2024). Street food in the digital era: unraveling the influence of food vloggers credibility and information quality on consumer intentions. International Journal of Social Economics. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijse-02-2024-0158 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
8. Çelik, K. (2021). The effect of e-service quality and after-sales e-service quality on e-satisfaction. Business & Management Studies: An International Journal, 9(3), 1137–1155. https://doi.org/10.15295/bmij.v9i3.1898 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
9. Chimpele Kelvin Tsamwa, Haque, R., Rahman, A., & Rahim, A. (2019, March 28). Modelling Consumer Perceptions of Internet Retail Service Quality (IRSQ) Using Structural Equation. ResearchGate; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332036225 Modelling Consumer Perceptions of Internet Retail Service Quality IRSQ Using Structural Equation Analysis A Study on Africa [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
10. Du, X., Liechty, T., Santos, C. A., & Park, J. (2020). “I want to record and share my wonderful journey”: Chinese Millennials’ production and sharing of short form travel videos on TikTok or Douyin. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(21), 1–13. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
11. Faisal, Rifai, A., Tariq Emad Arar, Khalaf, M., Muhammad Turki Alshurideh, Sulieman, Ala’a Al-Momani, Mazen Alzyoud, Alajarmeh, N. S., & Najah Al-shanableh. (2024). Impact of Knowledge Management Systems on Customer Perspective. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, 528, 1137–1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56586-1_83 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
12. Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a Silver Bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139–152. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
13. Hashemi, S., Mohammed, H. J., Kiumarsi, S., Kee, D. M. H., & Anarestani, B. B. (2021). Destinations Food Image and Food Neophobia on Behavioral Intentions: Culinary Tourist Behavior in Malaysia. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974438.2021.1943101 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
14. Henseler, J., G. Hubona, and P. A. Ray. 2016. Using PLS path modeling in new technology research: updated guidelines. Industrial Management and Data Systems 116(1), 2– 20. DOI: 10.1108/IMDS-09-2015-0382. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
15. Jujong-il, Congxi, S., & Hyuncheol Gim. (2025). Short Video Influence on Food Tourism: Examining the Role of TikTok in Shaping City Image and Travel Intentions of Chinese Gen Z. The International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication, 17(2), 172–182. https://doi.org/10.7236/IJIBC.2025.17.2.172 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
16. Li, Y., Xu, X., Song, B., & He, H. (2020). Impact of Short Food Videos on the Tourist Destination Image—Take Chengdu as an Example. Sustainability, 12(17), 6739. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176739 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
17. Lipschitz, J. M., Pike, C. K., Hogan, T. P., Murphy, S. A., & Burdick, K. E. (2023). The Engagement Problem: a Review of Engagement with Digital Mental Health Interventions and Recommendations for a Path Forward. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 10(3), 119–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-023-00297-3 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
18. Liu, C., Jiang, M., & Muhammad, Z. A. (2024). The impact of TikTok short video factors on tourists’ behavioral intention among Generation Z and Millennials: The role of flow experience. PLoS ONE, 19(12), e0315140–e0315140. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315140 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
19. Manaf Al‐Okaily, Mahmoud Al-Kofahi, Fadi Shehab Shiyyab, & Aws Al-Okaily. (2023). Determinants of user satisfaction with financial information systems in the digital transformation era: insights from emerging markets. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication. https://doi.org/10.1108/gkmc-12-2022-0285 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
20. Melović, B., Šehović, D., Karadžić, V., Dabić, M., & Ćirović, D. (2021). Determinants of Millennials’ behavior in online shopping – Implications on consumers’ satisfaction and e-business development. Technology in Society, 65(101561), 101561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101561 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
21. Mohd, A., & Norsimaa Mustaffa. (2023, December 31). The Impact Of User Generated Content On Food Purchase Intention Through Tiktok Platform. ResearchGate; Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377028538_The_Impact_Of_User_Generated_Content_On_Food_Purchase_Intention_Through_Tiktok_Platform [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
22. Parasuraman, A. P., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988, January). SERVQUAL: a Multiple-item Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Service Quality. Journal of Retailing. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200827786_SERVQUAL A Multiple-item Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Service Quality [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
23. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Malhotra, A. (2005). E-S-QUAL: a Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Electronic Service Quality. Journal of Service Research, 7(3), 213–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670504271156 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
24. Parmawati, R., Soemarno, and A.S. Kurnianto. 2018. Evaluation on social capital of sustainable agroforestry system: a case from argosari village, malang (evaluasi modal sosial pada sistem agroforestri: studi kasus desa argosari, malang). Jurnal Penelitian Sosial dan Ekonomi Kehutanan 16(3), 151-167. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
25. Polat, M. (2023). The Impact of Affective Gastronomy Experience on Satisfaction and Revisit Intention: Evidence from Turkey. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2023.1288 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
26. Poyoi, P., Gassiot-Melian, A., & Coromina, L. (2024). Generation Z and Millennials’ food-sharing behaviour: a cross-generational analysis of motivations, satisfaction and behavioural intention. British Food Journal, 126(13), 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2023-0899 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
27. Rehman, F. U., & Zeb, A. (2022). Translating the impacts of social advertising on Muslim consumers buying behavior: the moderating role of brand image. Journal of Islamic Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/jima-07-2021-0231 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
28. Rousta, A., & Jamshidi, D. (2020). Food tourism value: Investigating the factors that influence tourists to revisit. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 26(1), 135676671985864. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356766719858649 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
29. Singh, V., & Sharma, S. K. (2022). Application of blockchain technology in shaping the future of food industry based on transparency and consumer trust. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-022-05360-0 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
30. Szymkowiak, A., Melović, B., Dabić, M., Jeganathan, K., & Kundi, G. S. (2021). Information technology and Gen Z: The role of teachers, the internet, and technology in the education of young people. Technology in Society, 65(65). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
31. Tamara, C. A. J., Tumbuan, W. J. F. A., & Gunawan, E. M. (2023). Chatbots in E-Commerce: a Study of Gen Z Customer Experience and Engagement–Friend or Foe? Jurnal EMBA : Jurnal Riset Ekonomi, Manajemen, Bisnis Dan Akuntansi, 11(3), 161–175. https://doi.org/10.35794/emba.v11i3.49501 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
32. Tham, A., Chen, S.-H., & Durbidge, L. (2023). A pentadic analysis of TikTok marketing in tourism: The case of Penang, Malaysia. Tourist Studies, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/14687976231218483 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
33. Thomson, M., MacInnis, D. J., & Whan Park, C. (2005). The Ties That Bind: Measuring the Strength of Consumers’ Emotional Attachments to Brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(1), 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1501_10 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
34. Twenge, J. M. (2010). A Review of the Empirical Evidence on Generational Differences in Work Attitudes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9165-6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
35. Udo, G. J., Bagchi, K. K., & Kirs, P. J. (2010). An assessment of customers’ e-service quality perception, satisfaction and intention. International Journal of Information Management, 30(6), 481–492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2010.03.005 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
36. Wang, Y. L., Luor, T., Luarn, P., & Lu, H. (2015). Contribution and Trend to Quality Research - a literature review of SERVQUAL model from 1998 to 2013. Informatica Economica, 19(1/2015), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.12948/issn14531305/19.1.2015.03 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
37. Wei, B., Chan, S., & Meng, C. (2023). Impact of perceived e-service quality towards customer engagement on e-commerce platform among generation Z in Malaysia. http://eprints.utar.edu.my/5447/1/fyp_MK_2023_BOWS.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
38. What’s (Actually) Selling Successfully on TikTok? - Mutesix. (2024, April 25). Mutesix. https://mutesix.com/blog/whats-actually-selling-successfully-on-tiktok/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
39. Yao, Y. (2024). Research on the Impact of Short Food Videos on Consumer Travel Intentions: The Mediating Role of Destination Image. Tourism Management and Technology Economy, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.23977/tmte.2024.070312 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
40. Zeng, M., Grgurevic, J., Diyab, R., & Roy, R. (2025). #WhatIEatinaDay: The Quality, Accuracy, and Engagement of Nutrition Content on TikTok. Nutrients, 17(5), 781. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050781 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
41. Zhou, J., Xiang, K., Wang, M., & Zhao, Y. (2024). “Whether and how digital celebrities make us hungry for travel?”—An exploration of broadening and constructing perspectives on gastronomic tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2721 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
42. Zhou, J., Xiang, K., Wang, M., & Zhao, Y. (2024). “Whether and how digital celebrities make us hungry for travel?”—An exploration of broadening and constructing perspectives on gastronomic tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2721 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Metrics
Views & Downloads
Similar Articles
- Impact of Foreign Direct Investment in India
- Issues Involved in Digitalisation Special Reference to Indian Tourism Growth
- Relationship Marketing and Customer Loyalty in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Industry in Nairobi County
- Financial Literacy or Financial Inclusion? Which is Which, What is What—To Achieve Uganda’s 10-Fold Economic Growth By 2040
- Harnessing Natural Gas for Economic Transformation: Overcoming the Regulatory and Infrastructural Bottlenecks in Nigeria