Search Results (313)

This study investigates how YouTube food travel vloggers semiotically construct destination images and potentially function as informal culinary ambassadors through gastrodiplomacy mechanisms, using Uzbekistan as a case study of emerging tourism markets. Although digital content creators are increasingly recognised as shaping tourism flows, a systematic understanding of the multimodal semiotic mechanisms through which food travel vlogs construct destination meanings remains limited. Using multimodal discourse analysis, this study examines six YouTube food travel videos on Uzbekistan (over 28 million combined views) from two prominent creators. The analysis integrates Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar, Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics, van Leeuwen’s sound semiotics, and Norris’s multimodal interaction analysis to code a 60-segment corpus. Comparative analysis reveals 25 notable differences in semiotic features between the two creators, identifying two distinct semiotic profiles. Vlogger 1 primarily follows a parasocial intimacy model marked by direct gaze (89.2%), frequent second-person address (78.4%), and comparatively minimal editing. In contrast, Vlogger 2 adopts a cinematic documentary model characterised by first-person narration (56.5%), constructed visuals (60.9%), and gastronomic heritage narratives (34.8%). Despite these divergences, shared conventions centred on food composition, upbeat music, positive evaluation, and sharing gestures indicate a stable semiotic grammar of food travel vlogging. Analysis further reveals that orientalist dynamics and resistance to orientalism coexist within the same representational practice phenomenon termed ‘layered orientalism’, with distinct implications for how emerging destinations are mediated to international audiences. These findings suggest that digital content creators may employ distinct semiotic strategies that could function as informal culinary ambassadors through gastrodiplomacy mechanisms, potentially constructing destination awareness and cultural meaning for international audiences. This study contributes to theory on multimodal destination image construction and offers implications for how emerging tourism destinations might leverage multi-creator strategies to build culturally grounded destination brands. Full article

The growing emphasis on sustainable tourism has increased the importance of environmentally responsible practices in the hospitality industry. Green hotels have emerged as an important strategy for reducing environmental impacts while meeting the expectations of environmentally conscious travelers. However, limited research has examined the psychological mechanisms influencing international tourists’ decisions to choose green hotels in emerging tourism destinations. This study investigates the factors influencing international tourists’ motivation and intention to select green hotels in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire survey of 350 international tourists. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the relationships among sustainability image, perceived Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), environmental awareness, perceived value for money, trust in green hotels, motivation to choose green hotels, and Green Hotel Selection Intention. The results indicate that sustainability image, perceived ESG, and trust in green hotels significantly influence tourists’ motivation to choose green hotels, with trust demonstrating the strongest effect. In contrast, environmental awareness and perceived value for money do not show significant effects on motivation. Furthermore, motivation to choose green hotels has a strong positive influence on Green Hotel Selection Intention. These findings highlight the critical role of motivation as a psychological mechanism linking sustainability perceptions to tourists’ accommodation choices. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable tourism and green consumer behavior by integrating sustainability image and ESG perceptions into a comprehensive framework explaining Green Hotel Selection Intention. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that hotel managers should strengthen trust through transparent sustainability communication, obtain recognized green certifications, and promote ESG initiatives through digital marketing channels. Destination policymakers in Chiang Mai may also support standardized green hotel accreditation programs to enhance tourists’ confidence in sustainable accommodation choices. These strategies can support the development of sustainable hospitality practices and enhance the competitiveness of green hotels in Chiang Mai and other tourism destinations. Full article

This study systematically reviews the evolution of Qatar’s tourism sector to evaluate the historical barriers impeding its development and the strategic initiatives deployed to enhance destination competitiveness. The research’s primary aim is to provide a theory-driven longitudinal analysis of Qatar’s tourism evolution, identifying systemic barriers and adaptive responses required for long-term sustainability. Grounded in the theoretical synthesis of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT), the research employs a systematic literature review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA framework, screening 4846 records to analyze 24 final studies. The findings reveal five primary structural and perceptual barriers: a price–value mismatch (luxury perception), regional political instability, cultural and regulatory constraints, environmental vulnerabilities, and gaps in tourist infrastructure. Utilizing DCT, the results demonstrate how the destination exhibited adaptive governance by sensing these barriers and seizing strategic opportunities—such as mega-event hosting and visa reforms—to partially transform its tourism system. These insights highlight that while created resources drive initial visibility, sustaining long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth relies on continuous institutional reconfiguration and socio-cultural alignment. Full article

This study investigates how social networking service (SNS) tourism information characteristics influence destination image and behavioral intentions in digital tourism communication. Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, SNS information characteristics are conceptualized as vividness, convenience, interactivity, and reliability, and their effects on affective image, cognitive image, and SNS behavioral intentions are examined. Data were collected from 273 Chinese tourists who used SNS platforms to obtain information about Jeju Island, and structural equation modeling (SEM) with bootstrapping was employed to test direct and mediating effects. Results indicate that convenience significantly influences cognitive image; vividness, convenience, and interactivity significantly affect affective image; and reliability shows no significant effect. Affective image positively influences behavioral intentions, whereas cognitive image does not. In addition, vividness, interactivity, and reliability directly influence behavioral intentions, while convenience has no direct effect. Mediation analysis shows that affective image partially mediates the effects of vividness and interactivity and fully mediates the effect of convenience, whereas cognitive image does not exhibit a significant mediating role. These findings highlight the importance of affective mechanisms in digital tourism communication and provide practical implications for sustainable destination marketing and digital tourism management. Full article

Tourism is increasingly shaped by visual experiences of place mediated through television series and audiovisual fiction. Although film-induced tourism research has widely examined how media representations influence destination image and tourist responses, limited attention has been given to the perceptual and cognitive processes through which mediated landscapes are visually attended to and mentally organised, particularly from a neuroaesthetic perspective focused on early perceptual and attentional mechanisms in fictional contexts where tourism is not explicit. Addressing this gap, this study adopts a process-oriented neuroaesthetic approach to examine how landscapes in the television series Killing Eve are visually attended to and cognitively processed as destination imagery. An exploratory mixed-methods design combined qualitative content analysis of free recall responses (n = 260) with simulated visual attention modelling based on low-level visual features. The findings reveal a two-stage process of mediated landscape experience: visual attention initially guided by perceptual salience, followed by the selective cognitive stabilisation of certain elements as destination imagery through recall, imagination and narrative association. The study demonstrates that mediated landscapes are not processed as holistic destination images, but as selectively organised and emotionally inflected elements emerging from the interaction between visual attention and imagery processes. Full article

Over the past 20 years, trends in the construction or renovation of football stadiums have undergone rapid transformation. Simple sports venues are constantly evolving into multifunctional facilities and play a decisive role in shaping cities’ image. To date, significant emphasis has been placed on developing stadiums as venues for sporting events, with a focus on supply-side perspectives, particularly in relation to design, marketing, and sustainability. However, we know relatively little about how the direct consumers of this product, the visitors to these facilities, experience and perceive these infrastructures, especially outside of match days. This paper follows a framework for researching this perspective, focusing on the services provided as key points of interest in stadium tourism, and on the written reactions on social networks. This framework is implemented by employing a set of well-known single-word themes, matching each review to these themes, and finally measuring the sentiment of the collected short texts as an implicit indicator of sentiment on the studied themes. Its realization is based on natural language processing, semantic similarity analysis, and sentiment evaluation to identify dominant themes, recurring lexical patterns, and emotional tones in visitor comments. The study concerns thirteen major European stadiums and reviews posted on Google and TripAdvisor. The research findings highlight the themes that shape a unique tourist experience, capturing tourist interests in stadium tourism in the post-COVID-19 era. Finally, the individual evaluation of the themes provides practical and clear tools for stadium managers, tourism operators, destination managers and legislators who seek to maximize visitor engagement and multiply the overall socio-economic value of these iconic infrastructures for the benefit of the wider urban environment that hosts them. Full article

Grounded in Narrative Transportation Theory, this study examines how AI-enabled cultural storytelling influences tourists’ visit intentions through the mediating roles of perceived authenticity and destination image. Drawing on a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 415 tourists who had experienced AI-driven storytelling. PLS-SEM was employed to examine the relationships among AI-enabled cultural storytelling, perceived authenticity, destination image, and visit intention. The results indicate that AI-enabled cultural storytelling significantly enhances tourists’ perceived authenticity, destination image, and intention to visit. Both perceived authenticity and destination image were found to positively influence visit intention and act as significant mediators in the relationship between AI-enabled cultural storytelling and visit intention. These findings suggest that AI-driven narrative experiences not only enrich tourists’ perception of authenticity and overall image of the destination but also play a crucial role in shaping their future behavioral intentions. The study contributes to the understanding of technology-mediated cultural tourism experiences and provides practical insights for destination marketers seeking to leverage AI storytelling to attract and engage visitors. Full article

In the context of fierce competition among tourist destinations and increasing difficulty of differentiation, developing a strong destination image is particularly important. A comprehensive understanding of how tourists perceive destinations through user-generated images can help destination management organizations (DMOs) design more effective marketing strategies. This is especially relevant for destinations with spatially and temporally dispersed tourism resources and strong seasonal dynamics. This paper analyses inbound tourist photographs by combining deep learning techniques with spatial analysis to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of photo scenes and shifts in scene preferences among tourists. The study focuses on three distinct types of destinations in Slovenia—urban (Ljubljana), nature-based/alpine (Bled), and coastal (Piran, Izola, Koper)—providing insights into how image-based spatial scene analysis can inform destination marketing strategies. The results reveal significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity of scenes across micro destinations. Nature-based destinations exhibit lower topic entropy and fewer topic changes per user, whereas urban destinations show higher variability, with users changing topics on average five times per day. Seasonal effects are moderate: nature-based destinations display lower topic entropy in winter and higher in autumn and spring, coastal destinations show less pronounced seasonal variation, and urban destinations show almost none. These findings provide valuable insights into the spatial and temporal distribution of tourist interests and offer practical guidance for DMOs in strategic marketing planning. Full article

Background: Research on spatial imagery as perceived by humans is an important frontier for deepening the theoretical understanding of Tourism Destination Image and promoting sustainable urban development. Significance: This study, from the perspective of tourists, explores the correlation mechanism between the cognitive image and affective image of urban space. This is of great significance for enhancing the overall spatial quality of cities, promoting the integration of the man–land relationship, and driving the sustainable development of tourism. Method: In this study, we took Harbin as the case site, collected 89,375 reviews and 23,561 review images of 488 scenic spots on the Mafengwo and Ctrip platforms, and constructed a multimodal dataset. We classified the image scenes with the help of the Places365-CNN model. We then extracted text emotional features by utilizing the SnowNLP deep learning algorithm. We constructed a map of the spatial influence mechanism acting on cognitive image and emotion through MGWR. Results: The experimental results showed that in the level of Pleasure, the five indicators NHS, HPA, RPA, PDS and WRV had significant spatial correlations with urban sentiment. In the level of Arousal, the three indicators PD, MaSD and WRV showed significant spatial characteristics. Conclusions: This study reveals the influence mechanism of urban spatial perception elements on tourists’ emotions. It not only deepens the understanding of the Tourism Destination Image theory, but also provides a practical path based on the optimization of perception scenarios for the improvement of urban space, which has important implications for regional sustainable development. Full article

Understanding residents’ support is essential for the social sustainability of tourism development, particularly in rapidly transforming destinations. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, Social Identity Theory, and Destination Image Theory, this study proposes a process-oriented model in which perceived economic benefits and environmental concerns influence residents’ Behavioral Intention Support for Tourism through destination image and national identity. Using survey data from 418 young, educated Saudi residents (predominantly undergraduate university students) and structural equation modeling, the findings show that support is driven primarily by indirect pathways rather than direct cost–benefit evaluations. Economic benefits enhance destination image and strengthen national identity, which in turn foster supportive behavioral intentions. Environmental concerns do not directly reduce support; instead, they operate through sustainability-oriented perceptions of destination image and identity. The results extend existing models by showing how young residents’ behavioral intention support for tourism in Saudi Arabia is shaped through a cognitive–identity process in which destination image and national identity translate economic and environmental evaluations into behavioral intention. This framework offers actionable insights for destinations pursuing state-led tourism development. Full article

As a vital component of urban tourism, urban theme parks increasingly face experience homogenization and intensifying competition. Accordingly, the implementation of refined digital marketing and operational strategies based on visitor digital behavior has become increasingly essential. In this context, tourists’ social media sharing has become a crucial link between destination marketing and visitors’ experience construction. Within the SOBC (Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence) framework, this study examines how theme park servicescapes (S) shape sharing motivations (O), which, in turn, influence multimodal sharing intentions (B—text, image + text, video) and subsequently contribute to memorable theme park experience (C). A two-stage, mixed-method design was employed, and the study considered visitors to Beijing Universal Studios and Shanghai Disney Resort. Semi-structured interviews and grounded analysis identified five motivations: altruism, self-presentation, affective expression, hedonic motivation, and community identification. Testing was performed using a survey (N = 604), along with structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the staff-related social environment exerts significant positive effects on all five motivations, whereas the effects of the physical environment are more selective. Motivations differentially predict modal intentions: text aligns with altruism and affective expression; image + text aligns with altruism, community identification, and self-presentation; and video aligns with self-presentation, hedonism, community identification, and affective expression. All three intentions positively affect memorable theme park experience. These results clarify how motivations map onto content forms and validate a support SOBC framework from servicescapes to memorable experience, offering actionable implications for experience design and digital marketing. Full article

Tourism has become a key sector of the global economy and a driver of economic growth. The Wine Routes are a specialized tourist offering that meets the needs of a segment of travelers, contributing to the enhancement and preservation of rural areas. Recent studies have highlighted that among the reasons driving tourists to choose Slow tourism is the desire to discover local food and wine as an expression of territorial culture. This study assumes that the characteristics of Wine tourists may have changed in recent years. An extensive survey was conducted on visitors of Sicilian Wine Routes. The results examine Wine tourism and Slow tourism and their overlap for tourists who travel around rural territories following the lure of food and wine. The results highlight a new segmentation and the existence of a new profile of Eno-Slow tourists with new primary motivations and needs. On a global level, the new Eno-Slow tourist fits perfectly into the international trends of responsible and sustainable tourism, strengthening the image of wine-producing regions as models of balance between culture, nature, and quality of life. These findings are very important as they provide useful guidance for policymakers and stakeholders committed to the sustainable competitiveness of rural tourist destinations, both locally and internationally. Full article

This study curates and structures knowledge concerning Buddhist learning resources for tourism, presenting it through a virtual tour of Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Ratchaworamahawihan in Nakhon Pathom Province. Employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research first establishes a structured knowledge base. This involves developing a comprehensive metadata schema for cataloging the temple’s diverse resources, including both sacred sites and artifacts, to enhance their searchability and accessibility. Subsequently, this knowledge is rendered into a virtual tour, which serves as an exemplary model of a Buddhist digital learning resource for tourism. The findings reveal the extensive diversity of resources within the temple. The developed virtual tour platform allows users an immersive exploration of the site via 360-degree panoramic views. This research presents significant implications for relevant agencies, offering a scalable model for the digital dissemination of cultural heritage. It is anticipated that this initiative will expand global access to and appreciation of the temple’s cultural value, thereby fostering international interest in visitation. Such engagement is poised to stimulate the local economy and bolster Thailand’s image as a premier cultural tourism destination. Full article

This study examines how real photographs and AI-generated photographs shape sustainable engagement and travel intention in tropical island tourism. We used a one-factor between subjects survey experiment with two independent conditions, real images and AI images, with 357 participants in each group. Guided by the SOR framework, we measured perceived authenticity, cognitive destination image, emotional comfort, and perceived information diagnosticity, together with sustainable engagement and travel intention. Structural equation modeling shows that under both visual conditions the four perceptual factors are positively associated with travel intention. In the real photo condition, sustainable engagement partially mediates the effects of all four factors on travel intention. In the AI photo condition, sustainable engagement mediates the effects of cognitive destination image, emotional comfort, and perceived information diagnosticity on travel intention, while the indirect pathway from perceived authenticity to travel intention through sustainable engagement is not significant. These findings support an actionable dual-track visual strategy. Use AI images to expand reach at low ecological cost, then use real images with verifiable cues to strengthen credibility and encourage responsible choices. Full article