Social Media Marketing, Consumer COVID-19 Perception, Social Support, Value Co-Creation: A Moderation-Mediation Model in the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

This study investigates the intricate relationships between social media marketing (SMM), social support, and value co-creation intentions within the hospitality industry, particularly examining the moderating role of consumers' COVID-19 perception. Drawing on social support theory, this research proposes a moderated-mediation model. Data were collected from 229 travellers who use social media platforms for hotel bookings, such as Couchsurfing, Airbnb, and Booking.com, in the northern areas of Pakistan. The analysis, conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), reveals that SMM significantly enhances social support, which in turn positively influences value co-creation intentions. The findings confirm the mediating role of social support in the SMM-value co-creation link. However, the perception of COVID-19 did not significantly moderate the relationship between SMM and social support. This study provides critical theoretical and managerial implications for hospitality marketers aiming to foster co-creation in a post-pandemic digital landscape, contributing to the growing body of literature on consumer behaviour in digital environments (Asif, 2024; Rafi et al., 2025).

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