Abstract
User generated content is important for travel planners to help choose locations and services on the internet. This study creates a research model to identify electronic word of mouth (eWOM) flow on the internet from Japanese businesses to international travelers using social media from 3 countries (China, South Korea, and America). The results show that there is a large but shrinking mismatch in what social media mediums Japanese business owners are using to promote their businesses online and what mediums are being used by potential international travelers looking for user generated content to help with travel planning in Japan. Results also show that there is still no single outlet that stands out to reach all of Japan's highest visiting markets. During this process a framework was constructed for identifying the most effective mediums on the internet facilitate the creation of user generated information about tourism in Japan to international markets.
