Web3-enabled technologies in tourism businesses: a multi-method study of user trust, loyalty, and tangible economic outcomes

Abstract

Purpose Web3 technologies are regarded as either tools for enhancing transparency or as mechanisms for delivering tokenised incentives. This study aims to examine how blockchain-enabled transparency builds user trust and how tokenised products convert trust into customer loyalty and improve economic performance. By integrating behavioural, technological and economic perspectives, this study offers a comprehensive framework of how tourism platforms can leverage Web3 technologies to drive user engagement and business value. Design/methodology/approach Three studies were conducted. Firstly, a between-groups experiment was performed to identify the causal effect of Web3-enabled transparency on trust perceptions and adoption intentions among travellers. Secondly, a vector autoregressive model was performed to analyse how trust affects loyalty dynamically over time within blockchain ecosystems. Thirdly, a multivariate ordinary least squares regression model was used to assess the direct effect of customer loyalty on platform performance. Findings Study 1 shows that blockchain-based transparency significantly enhances user trust and encourages platform adoption, supporting the transparency−trust link. Study 2 clarifies the relationship between Web3-enabled trust and customer loyalty. Study 3 confirms a robust relationship between non-fungible tokens (NFT)-based customer loyalty and tangible economic outcomes. Originality/value This study bridges the gap between blockchain transparency and customer trust formation and extends existing knowledge on tokenisation and NFTs within customer loyalty frameworks, which expands the role of customer loyalty as a significant driver of platform-level economic outcomes. These insights offer tourism practitioners guidelines for operationalising Web3 technologies to achieve competitive advantages.