Sustainable Digital Tourism through Social Media: A TAM-Based Study on Food Waste Reduction in Hospitality

This study examines the adoption of social media–based food waste reduction programs within the hospitality sector, using Surplus Indonesia as a case study. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research investigates the relationships among perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes (ATT), and actual system use (AU) in influencing public engagement with surplus food applications. Data were collected from active users of Surplus Indonesia who interacted with the app within the past six months. Results show that PEOU significantly shapes both PU and ATT, while ATT plays a mediating role in driving AU. Interestingly, PU does not directly affect ATT, suggesting that social and environmental motivations outweigh purely functional considerations. These findings highlight the role of digital platforms and social media as enablers of sustainable e-commerce and digital tourism practices in hospitality. The study offers practical implications for platform developers and hospitality businesses to enhance user engagement through usability improvements and sustainability-driven communication strategies.