How User-Generated Content Platforms Shape Destination Satisfaction: The Roles of Platform Co-Creation Experience and Destination Image

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Value co-creation is increasingly important in tourism research, yet little is known about how user-generated content platforms support co-creation before travel and shape later destination evaluations. This study examines how six platform-use perceptions, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, information quality, personalization, social presence, and perceived enjoyment, affect platform co-creation experience, destination image, and overall satisfaction. Survey data from 358 platform users were analyzed with structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Results show that usefulness, ease of use, information quality, and enjoyment enhance co-creation experience, while personalization and social presence are not significant. Co-creation experience improves cognitive and affective destination image, which further increases satisfaction. Configurational analysis identifies four alternative paths to high satisfaction.</p>