•The study extends innovation resistance theory (IRT) to the online travel agencies (OTAs) context.•Benefits barrier is the strongest inhibitor of purchase intentions.•Privacy and security concerns, and vulnerability positively predict intentions.•Visibility moderates the association of benefits barrier and purchase intentions.•Young and old OTA users differ in the association between barriers and purchase intentions. Online travel agencies (OTAs) are expanding their services to many segments of the travel and tourism industry. While they are beneficial to travelers, OTAs also face a great deal of consumer resistance. However, prior literature has largely focused on travelers’ adoption intentions toward OTAs, scarcely exploring the causes of such resistance. Addressing the gap, this study extends the innovation resistance theory (IRT) to examine the barriers to positive purchase intentions toward OTAs. A mixed method research design with open-ended essays and cross-sectional survey is used to test the proposed model. Findings suggest that benefits barrier is the chief inhibitor of purchase intentions. In comparison, privacy and security concerns and the vulnerability barrier show positive association with intentions. As a moderator, visibility influences the strength of the association between benefits barrier and purchase intentions. Further, the strength of this association differs among young, middle-aged, and old users.