Review credibility, aesthetics and FOMO in information adoption of Muslim travellers

Abstract

Purpose ‒ This study investigates how aesthetic presentation, authenticity, and fear of missing out (FOMO) influence Muslim travellers’ information adoption regarding UNESCO-recognized heritage foods. It also examines the mediating role of review credibility and the moderating role of halal tourism motivation within the frameworks of the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model and the Information Adoption Model (IAM).

Design/Methodology/Approach ‒ A quantitative explanatory design using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to 372 valid responses from Muslim travellers who had engaged with online reviews of heritage foods. The analysis tested direct, mediating, and moderating relationships among the study variables.

Findings ‒ The results show that aesthetic presentation, authenticity, and FOMO significantly enhance review credibility, which in turn strongly predicts information adoption. Authenticity exerts the strongest influence on both credibility and adoption, while aesthetic cues and FOMO affect adoption only indirectly through credibility. Halal tourism motivation positively affects information adoption but does not moderate the credibility–adoption relationship.

Originality/Value ‒ This research integrates visual, cultural, and psychological cues into a unified digital trust model, advancing theoretical understanding of credibility formation in halal heritage food tourism and providing empirical insight into how Muslim travellers interpret online review cues about UNESCO-recognized traditional foods.

Research Limitations/Implications ‒ The study focuses on Muslim travellers and heritage foods; future research may explore other tourism contexts and use longitudinal or experimental designs.

Practical Implications ‒ Destination marketers and heritage food promoters should design authentic, visually coherent, and halal-assured digital content to strengthen review credibility and encourage information adoption among Muslim travellers.