The ideal companion: the role of mobile phone attachment in travel purchase intention

Abstract

Mobile phones have become a highly personal tool for individuals and have revolutionized many aspects of travellers’ lives. Indeed, mobile phones can be considered an integral part of travellers’ trip routines, thus engendering strong feelings of attachment to them. Following the stimulus–organism– response model, this paper analyses how certain stimuli (travellers’ addiction to their device, perceived control, perceived entertainment, and subjective norms) influence travellers’ mobile phone attachment (MPA) and intention to purchase travel using the device. The results of this model show the importance of personal and environmental factors in increasing MPA and reveal how this attachment positively influences intention toward mobile shopping for travel-related purchases. This work proposes a model in both the mobile and travel contexts with MPA as the central variable. As such, this paper contributes to the academic literature and yields several recommendations for business practice.