The mechanism of tourism slogans on travel intention based on Unique Selling Proposition (USP) theory

Tourism slogan is an important part of destination branding and marketing. This study uncovers the mechanism of tourism slogans on travel intention based on USP theory. Study 1 utilizes a content analysis to quantify China’s 5A-class tourist resorts’ slogans by applying USP (Unique Selling Proposition) criteria. Study 2 tests a moderated mediation model to explain the mechanism of tourism slogans’ effectiveness measured by these USP levels. Results show that slogans’ USP levels have a significant positive effect on travel intention through mental imagery, and this relation is moderated by fantasy proneness. Findings provide useful insights for practice and future research.     

Virtual pets want to travel: Engaging visitors,creating excitement

This paper proposes a gamified approach to promote tourism attractions based on users' interaction with a virtual pet in the context of an AR mobile application. Technology Acceptance Model, 6–11 Framework and Persuasive Systems Design are combined, to extract factors influencing the intention to travel with the virtual pet. A survey questionnaire was developed and administered online to 539 participants. Outcomes of this study highlight the significant role of emotional attachment and rewarding experience towards intention to travel with a virtual pet. The outcomes also helped us to develop a new ‘Intention to Travel’ (I2T) model. To interest and excite prospective visitors, a design of a mobile game with Augmented Reality (AR) features is proposed which will involve engaging interactions with virtual pets to attract visitors to desired location(s). Practitioners such as game developers and tourism policy makers may consider the virtual pets as a vehicle to impact tourists' behavior.     

Influences of travel constraints on the people with disabilities’ intention to travel: An application of Seligman’s helplessness theory

Changes to legal and social environments have contributed to the expansion of the disabled tourism market. However, despite this growth, within tourism there is a distinct lack of research of this niche market, and in particular of the barriers which impede or prevent those with disabilities from participating in tourism. This study addresses this lacuna by exploring the relationships between three inter-related concepts, these being: (1) travel constraints including its three sub-dimensions, these being intrinsic, environmental, and interactive; (ii) learned helplessness; and, (iii) intention to travel. This is attempted through a structured survey targeted at a sample of disabled Korean travelers (N = 301). The results revealed that the three sub-dimensions of constraints exerted no significant influence (p < .05) on travel intentions, though two of the three dimensions (intrinsic and environmental) were found to be statistically significantly associated with learned helplessness. This latter variable, in turn provided a statistically significant negative influence (p < .05) on intention to travel. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed, and some avenues for future research are highlighted.     

A multi-level approach to the study of production chains in the tourism sector

This paper proposes a multi-level approach to analyse the production chains in which two characteristic tourism activities – the hotel and travel agency industries – participate. Firstly, from a macroeconomic perspective, input-output techniques are used to identify the most significant tourism production chains from the regional input–output table of Andalusia (Spain). Secondly, from a microeconomic perspective, a different approach is taken based on the concept of Global Value Chains (GVC). In this respect, the structure and main agents participating in the tourism GVC are presented, and the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the hotel and travel agencies industries in Andalusia is put forward. Finally, these two approaches are compared and connected, exploring some characteristics of these tourism production chains at the mesoeconomic level of analysis.     

The Impact of Internet Travel Advertising Design,Tourists' Attitude,and Internet Travel Advertising Effect on Tourists' Purchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Involvement

Nowadays, Internet advertising has a great potential in increasing customer's purchase intention. According to the literature, involvement significantly influences customer's online behavior and purchasing process; however, much of the present literature concentrates on independent and/or dependent effect of involvement on online shopping. This study focuses on the moderating role of involvement to explore the relationships among Internet travel advertising content design, Internet travel advertising attitude, Internet travel advertising effect, and purchase intention. The study collects a total of 386 responses and the data are examined with structural equation modeling. The results demonstrate that involvement as a moderator had the greatest effect on the relationship between Internet travel advertising attitude and Internet travel advertising effect. Involvement also influenced the relationship between Internet travel advertising content design and Internet travel advertising attitude followed by the relationship between Internet travel advertising effect and purchase intention. In addition, several practical implications have been discussed.     

Exploring the Role of Travel and Tourism in Sharing Economy Activities: A Case Study of South Korea

This study explores the role of travel and tourism in sharing economy activities by using a case study of Seoul, South Korea. The findings reveal 1) significant associations between respondents’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics and their participation level in diverse sharing economy activities; 2) significant differences in future intention to participate in diverse sharing economy activities among groups; and 3) interest in travel and tourism was most strongly related to future intention to participate in diverse sharing economy activities. Policy making implications of the sharing economy focused on the role of travel and tourism are discussed in the conclusion.     

Destination Image of Taiwan From the Perspective of Hong Kong Residents: Revisiting Structural Relationships Between Destination Image Attributes and Behavioral Intention

Destination image plays an important role in how tourists make their travel and purchase decisions. This study examines the perceived image of Taiwan as a travel destination from the perspective of Hong Kong residents. The Hong Kong outbound tourism market is important for Taiwan. Using a self-completed questionnaire, this research examines the destination image of Taiwan among 213 Hong Kong residents. The results indicate that affective image is a stronger predictor of travel intention than cognitive image. Affective image also plays a mediating role in the relationship between cognitive image and behavioral intention. Hence, affective image is an important intangible quality for today’s destinations.     

Destination attractiveness and travel intention: the case of Chinese and Indian students in Queensland,Australia

Destination attractiveness is an important stream of literature. Australia has been recognized as one of the world’s most attractive destinations. This study looked into international students’ perceptions of Australia as an attractive international tourism destination as well as their travel intention. A sample of 252 Chinese and Indian international students participated in the study. Students’ perceived destination attractiveness and how it influenced their travel intention, pleasure of travel and place attachment were investigated. The study also looked into perception differences between Chinese and Indian students using t-test and hierarchical regressions.     

Examining Chinese College Students’ Intention to Travel to Japan Using the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior: Testing Destination Image and the Mediating Role of Travel Constraints

Understanding the decision-making process and predicting travel behavior are critical for destination tourism marketers. This study develops and tests a structural equation model using the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explain Chinese college students’ intention to travel to Japan. Ten hypotheses were proposed regarding the relationships between destination image, travel constraints, and the original TPB constructs. The results of structural analyses reveal that the extended TPB has better predictive power for travel intention to Japan than the original one. Attitude is found to have the greatest impact on intention to travel to Japan. The mediating role of travel constraints shows a significantly negative effect on the relationships between the predictors and travel intention except for the relationship between perceived behavioral control and travel intention. The results of this study can help improve marketing promotions and the development of more effective destination positioning strategies for Japanese inbound tourism.     

Service Quality,Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intention Among Forest Visitors

Abstract

This study explores the interrelationships between service quality and satisfaction, and their influence on behavioral intention among forest visitors. On-site surveys were conducted in a forest through face-to-face interviews (n = 395). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that service quality is an antecedent of satisfaction and satisfaction plays a mediating role between service quality and behavioral intention. Further, service quality has a direct effect on behavioral loyalty, implying that the effect of service quality on behavioral intention is as important as that of satisfaction. The results of the study provide important theoretical implications to nature-based tourism managers.     

Narrative transportation and travel: The mediating role of escapism and immersion

The experience of escaping the real world and losing oneself in a fictional one brings pleasure to many. We draw on the overarching theory of narrative transportation (see Gerrig, 1993) to advance knowledge in screen tourism. The aim is to develop and empirically test a conceptual model of TV series consumption, escapism, immersion, and travel intentions with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that narrative transportation is a structured gradual process: TV series consumption first leads to escapism, escapism to immersion, immersion to travel intention. The mediated relationships (via escapism and immersion) between media consumption and travel intention are found to be significant. The novelty of our model lies in the travel-centred operationalizing of the narrative transportation theory. Based on our results, tourism marketers are advised to implement a tourism ad campaign building on the different stages of narrative transportation to create emotionally engaging tourism marketing products.Impact statementThe main contribution of this research to society in general is that it recognises the cultural phenomenon of TV series consumption and the benefits of narrative transportation as a kind of travel-experience into a fantasy world. We map the stages of narrative transportation, exploring the journey from media consumption to travel intention; the data obtained is of relevance because filming locations often become popular tourist destinations. Whether tourism planners aim to reduce or increase tourist flows awareness of (1) the process of narrative transportation experienced by viewers, and (2) how this process influences travel intentions is key to the effective management of media-induced tourism flows.     

Validating a multidimensional perspective of brand equity on motivation,expectation, and behavioural intention: a practical examination of culinary tourism

This study presents a brand equity theory of culinary tourism by integrating behavioural theory with the mediation-moderation model. The culinary tourism brand-equity model underscores the value of tourists’ expectations as a means to enhance the effects of travel motivation on behavioural intention. This study empirically tests this theory using a sample of 513 foreign tourists and provides evidence that travel motivation mediates the relationship between the four critical attributes of brand equity and behavioural intention. Furthermore, the results confirm the interrelationships within brand equity and reveal that tourist expectations positively moderate the relationship between travel motivation and behavioural intention. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.     

Reaching audiences through travel vlogs: The perspective of involvement

Travel vlogs are popular, but how audiences get involved while watching remains unclear. This study explored audience involvement along with expressions of travel intention. A systematic sampling procedure was developed, filtering 132 ‘highly involving sessions’ from 25 videos in Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform. Qualitative analyses were applied, and the findings were threefold. Firstly, a five-category video content typology was highlighted, including frame aesthetics, video editing, fandom, humour, and tourist experiences. Secondly, bullet comments were deconstructed into six dimensions through examining concepts of ‘audience involvement’. Lastly, to address possible patterns of travel intention linked to the video content types, three propositions were made. This work serves as an exploration of audience involvement in the travel vlog phenomenon, an elaboration of travel intention expression in this context, and a method of assessing tourist-generated videos through bullet comments. Practical implications were discussed.     

The ‘magic of filter’ effect: Examining value co-destruction of social media photos in destination marketing

Excessive filter processing of social media photos may cause viewers to question the authenticity of the photos. From the value co-destruction perspective, this research examines the effect of photo filtering on consumer perceptions. Study 1 ran content analysis of 2035 social media user posts and identified that destination marketing failure caused by filtered photos is a process involving tourists' negative emotions and multi-stakeholder (including platform, travel blogger, and destination) value co-destruction, represented by a chain relationship mechanism of “stimulation of filtered photos→ negative emotions of tourists→ failure of destination marketing.” Study 2 applied an experimental design and found that filtered photos have a significant effect on tourists' negative emotions, which play a complete mediating role in the relationship between filtered photos and value co-destruction of destination marketing. Additionally, the moderating effect of tourists’ aesthetic and authenticity pursuit in the influence mechanism was partially verified. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The hidden side of travel: Epilepsy and tourism

Previous tourism research has examined the barriers and travel experiences of people with physical/mobility and sensory impairments. This paper advances tourism knowledge by revealing the travel experiences of people with the invisible and stigmatising condition of epilepsy. The study employed a phenomenological approach to explore whether, and how, the hidden neurological condition affects the travel experience. Analysis of the data revealed three main themes relating to the experience of travel for individuals with epilepsy: seizure episodes; invisibility of the condition; and managing anxiety. The paper illuminates the hidden side of travel for people with epilepsy and its social stigma, and problematises the socially constructed nature of travel as mostly visible, an escape from normality, independent and authentic.     

Learning patterns of tourist movement and photography from geotagged photos at archaeological heritage sites in Cuzco,Peru

The popularity of media sharing platforms in recent decades has provided an abundance of open source data that remains underutilized by heritage scholars. By pairing geotagged internet photographs with machine learning and computer vision algorithms, we build upon the current theoretical discourse of anthropology associated with visuality and heritage tourism to identify travel patterns across a known archaeological heritage circuit, and quantify visual culture and experiences in Cuzco, Peru. Leveraging large-scale in-the-wild tourist photos, our goals are to (1) understand how the intensification of tourism intersects with heritage regulations and social media, aiding in the articulation of travel patterns across Cuzco's heritage landscape; and to (2) assess how aesthetic preferences and visuality become entangled with the rapidly evolving expectations of tourists, whose travel narratives are curated on social media and grounded in historic site representations.     

Corporate social responsibility signaling,evaluation, identification,and revisit intention among cruise customers

Abstract

Improvements in customer knowledge and interest in cruise tourism have facilitated the growth of the cruise industry. However, the cruise industry has limited research attention from tourism and hospitality scholars. Furthermore, in the cruise setting, although a large number of corporate social responsibility (CSR) messages are sent to customers, it seems reasonable to suspect that not all CSR activities are effective to achieve the sustainable growth of the company. Therefore, this study aims to expand the existing knowledge of cruise CSR by examining the impact of customers’ perceived value of socially responsible consumption behavior on brand-related outcomes. Data from 292 cruise customers in the United States are collected through online surveys. Findings support the evidence that CSR signaling influences customers’ positive evaluation and identification with a cruise brand, but no direct impact on their behavioral intention is observed. Also, the mediating role of evaluation and identification in the relationship between CSR signaling and revisit intention is examined. In this study, the signaling and social identity theories are supported by an empirical study to addresses the importance of customers’ socially responsible consumption trait in sustainable growth.     

Theoretical linkages between well-being and tourism: The case of self-determination theory and spiritual tourism

Self-determination theory (SDT) offers a robust and globally adopted evidence-based foundation from which explorations of increasingly popular forms of travel, like spiritual tourism, can be analyzed for their potential contributions to well-being. This paper draws on SDT to examine outcomes of well-being within spiritual tourism. It draws on autoethnography, a thick data approach to qualitative inquiry, which allows for the emergence of experiential and self-reflective processes engendered by forms of travel like spiritual tourism. The autoethnographic narrative is based on the author's spiritual tourism experience at a yoga/meditation retreat in Rishikesh, India. The narrative is transcended through theory-based linkages to broader social phenomena (i.e., well-being, SDT), by so doing, the legacy of theoretical development, characteristic of interpretive inquiry, is sustained.     

Catching eyes of social media wanderers: How pictorial and textual cues in visitor-generated content shape users’ cognitive-affective psychology

Documenting and sharing individual museum visits flourishes on social media. However, little research exists about how peer-generated content cues shape prospective visitors' perceptions and decisions. Drawing upon the stimulus‒organism‒response (SOR) framework, we holistically investigated the visual weight and attitudinal feedback of exhibition selfies and caption appeal types via eye-tracking technology and interviews, as well as the persuasive execution of accompanying texts using an experimental method. Two sequential studies were conducted: Study 1 empirically investigated the superiority of selfies and emotional titles in attracting visual attention and their influence on viewers' attitudinal evaluations through aesthetic judgments, mental imagery and flow experience during visual processing; Study 2 differentiated two types of textual stimuli (informational self-disclosure and emotional self-disclosure) that indirectly influence viewers’ behavioral intention through their inner organism changes in aesthetic experience and trust. The findings provide theoretical and marketing insights for tourism and cultural organizations to promote their social media communication.     

How cute mascots affect relationships with tourism destinations: A moderated mediation model

The mascot, acting as an ambassador for a destination, plays a significant role in promoting tourism development. However, limited research has focused on the cute features of a mascot and its marketing effects on a destination. This study extends the literature on cuteness and mascots by examining the effect of including a cute mascot in destination advertising on a person's travel intention. Four experiments were undertaken to investigate the cuteness effect. It was found that including a cute mascot in a destination advertisement increased travel intention. Feelings of healing and destination intimacy mediated the cuteness effect. The moderating role of social exclusion was also examined. The study revealed that a mascot's cuteness effect was stronger for socially excluded individuals. The findings give destination managers novel insights into mascot design in tourism and destination marketing.