Behavioral Intentions of Europeans Towards Jordan: Travelers’ Perceived Risk and e-WOM During Conflict: A Prearrival Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) Analysis

This study explores the relationship between electronic word of mouth (e-WOM), tourists’ behavioral intentions (BI), and overall perceived risk (PR) in Jordan as a travel destination during the ongoing October 2023 Middle East conflict based on Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) theory. A self-administered questionnaire was used to get information regarding prearrival perceptions from European tourists, who had just visited Jordan in May 2024 during the field data collection period. The SEM was employed to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Findings confirm the SOR theory application in tourism decision-making based on perceived risk conditions. The results showed that e-WOM significantly influences PR and BI, while PR moderates the effect between e-WOM and BI. Such findings develop the theoretical understanding of tourist behavior by embedding e-WOM as an important stimulus factor to stimulate decisions in high-risk contexts. It also provides important practical implications for the tourism sector, marketers, and policymakers in Jordan regarding the understanding of the need to manage perceived risks and utilize e-WOM on the positive note towards meeting destination marketing strategies more effectively during regional crises.