THE ROLE OF WORD OF MOUTH IN SHAPING GENERATION Z'S REVISIT INTENTION AT BLOK M, JAKARTA

Abstract

The development of Blok M, Jakarta, as an urban tourism area offering culinary, recreational, entertainment, and social experiences has made it increasingly relevant to Generation Z. In selecting and evaluating destinations, Generation Z obtains information not only through digital media but also through interpersonal communication in the form of word of mouth (WOM). This study aims to explore the role of WOM in shaping Generation Z's revisit intention at Blok M, Jakarta. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed with 30 Generation Z informants aged 21–27 who had previously visited Blok M. Data were collected through Google Forms using open-ended questions and analyzed thematically. The findings show that friends or personal relations were the dominant sources of interpersonal WOM, particularly regarding culinary destinations, hangout places, the area's atmosphere, and youth-oriented activities. Source credibility, the recommender's experience, relationship closeness, and supporting information from social media influenced how informants evaluated WOM. Actual experiences subsequently confirmed or corrected expectations formed through recommendations. Twenty-five of the 30 informants expressed an intention to revisit, mainly due to the variety of culinary and recreational options, a youth-oriented atmosphere, accessibility, and the presence of many places that had not yet been explored. However, discrepancies between recommendations and actual experiences could weaken the desire to return. The findings indicate that WOM functions as both an information source and an expectation-forming mechanism that, together with actual experiences, contributes to the formation of Generation Z's revisit intention at Blok M, Jakarta.