Syed Shah Alam
This study integrates Media Literacy Theory (MLT), the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Model, and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) to investigate how media literacy influences impulsive hotel booking intentions through cognitive and emotional mechanisms. A quantitative research approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to data collected from 400 respondents in Saudi Arabia, a rapidly expanding market in digital tourism. The findings reveal that higher media literacy enhances consumer confidence in processing persuasive content, leading to more decisive booking actions. Media literacy also increases exposure to diverse content, counteracting algorithmic biases, though platform characteristics may limit this effect. Additionally, cognitive and emotional engagement play crucial mediating roles in shaping critical engagement with digital content, while technological proficiency and social influence moderate impulsive booking behaviors. These insights extend existing theories by demonstrating that media literacy can facilitate both resistance to persuasion and strategic impulsivity in digital environments.