Knowledge Sharing and Value Co-Creation behaviors on Tourism Platforms: The Moderating Role of Sharer Reputation

User engagement in knowledge sharing (KS) and value co-creation (VCC) is essential for the sustainability of a travel-focused user-generated content (UGC) platform. However, systematic research exploring the drivers of these behaviors within such platforms remains limited. This study draws on social capital theory (SCT) and social exchange theory (SET) and employs a mixed-methods approach to identify the antecedents influencing KS and VCC. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 users, along with two survey rounds yielding 705 valid responses from Mafengwo , one of China’s leading travel-focused UGC platforms. The findings reveal three key antecedents—credible signals (CS), platform relational embeddedness (PRE), and prosocial motivation (PM)—that significantly influence users’ motivation to share knowledge, subsequently fostering VCC behaviors. Additionally, KS serves as a mediator for the effects of these antecedents on VCC, while the knowledge sharer’s reputation (KSR) moderates these relationships. This research contributes to a deeper theoretical understanding of user behavior within the travel-focused UGC platform communities and offers practical insights for platform managers seeking to boost user participation and promote collaborative value creation.