Although past research has acknowledged the advantages of personalization, few studies have explored ways to mitigate the negative perceptions associated with it. Through the lens of the heuristic-systematic model and privacy calculus theory, this study aims to conceptualize heuristic cues as an aid for processing personalized messages and demonstrate how they mitigate privacy-related perceptions in a travel context.
A mixed-methods research combining exploratory investigation and empirical experiments was applied to examine the effects of three heuristic cues on tourists’ reactions to personalized messages.
The findings highlight the significance of scarcity cues in enhancing the perceived usefulness of personalized messages; control cues in mitigating the perceived costs of personalized messages; and the moderating effects of authority cues in amplifying the impact of scarcity cues and control cues.
This study expands the applicability of heuristic cues to the context of personalization. Integrating the privacy calculus theory and the heuristic-systematic model, this study addresses the personalization-privacy paradox by examining how the perceived benefits of personalized travel content can be amplified while its perceived costs are reduced through effective combinations of heuristic cues. The integration of these theoretical lenses extends existing models and provides additional insights into the mechanisms that explain why travelers may choose to accept personalized messaging despite potential privacy risks.
As tourists often need to make quick decisions while traveling, practitioners may apply heuristic cues in their personalized recommendations to highlight the benefits and minimize the perceived costs. Specific applications of heuristic cues across scenarios are discussed.
This study demonstrates the potential of heuristic cues in addressing the personalization-privacy paradox, suggesting that the design of personalized messaging can benefit from proper application and integration of specific heuristic cues. Practical guidance is provided for designing personalized travel content that captures greater interest and reduces privacy concerns.
