Determinants of Travel App Adoption Among Non-English-Speaking Foreign Tourists in Nigeria: A UTAUT-Based Analysis

Abstract

Every year, Nigeria receives approximately 1–1.3 million foreign tourists, including visitors from both English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries for tourism, business, and cultural purposes. Many of these tourists travel without local guides, making communication and navigation difficult because of language barriers and unfamiliar environments. This study investigated the determinants influencing the adoption of travel applications among non-English-speaking foreign tourists in Nigeria using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected through purposive sampling from 382 non-English-speaking foreign tourists at three major international airports in Abuja, Lagos, and Calabar using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise respondents’ characteristics, while multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The regression model was statistically significant (F = 177.882, p < 0.001) and explained 65.4% of the variance in travel app adoption (R² = 0.654). Performance expectancy emerged as the strongest predictor of travel app adoption (β = 0.742, p < 0.001), followed by social influence (β = 0.524, p < 0.001), facilitating conditions (β = 0.350, p = 0.002), and effort expectancy (β = 0.105, p = 0.004). These findings demonstrate that the UTAUT model effectively explains and predicts travel application adoption among non-English-speaking foreign tourists in Nigeria. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on digital tourism by extending the application of the UTAUT framework to an underexplored population in an emerging tourism destination. The findings provide practical implications for travel application developers, tourism service providers, and policymakers seeking to improve digital engagement and enhance the travel experiences of international tourists in Nigeria.