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Effects of travel vlogs on travel intention of slow tourism in China: an evaluation of resonance and destination image

Meng Wang ( School of Business and Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia and Department of Culture and Tourism, Yuncheng University, Yuncheng, China)
Azmawani Abd Rahman ( Putra Business School, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)
Yuhanis Abdul Aziz ( Department of Graduate Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia and College of Business and Administration, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates)
Nor Azura Adzharuddin ( Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)

International Journal of Tourism Cities

ISSN: 2056-5607

Article publication date: 16 July 2024

Issue publication date: 12 September 2024

344

Abstract

Purpose

The distinct characteristics of slow tourism compared to mass tourism determine the differences between slow travelers and mass travelers. This transformation is essential for potential tourists to transition into slow travelers when promoting slow tourism to them. Can travel vlogs, a “fast” way of promoting, achieve such a “slow” transformation? To address this question, the purpose of this paper is to introduce the resonance theory and investigate the impact of resonance with slow tourism vlogs on potential travelers’ destination image and travel intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the distribution of online questionnaires on site, this study collected a total of 349 valid questionnaires. Subsequently, the researcher used partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The research findings indicate that cognitive resonance only positively affected cognitive image, while emotional resonance was positively associated with both cognitive image and affective image. In addition, it was observed that cognitive image and affective image played a positive mediating role between resonance with slow tourism vlogs and travel intention.

Originality/value

This research is pioneering in quantitatively validating the structure linking resonance, destination image and travel intention in the context of slow tourism. By validating the second-order structure of cognitive and emotional resonance, this study underscores the crucial role of resonance in shaping tourists’ transition toward a slow mindset in slow tourism.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The researchers acknowledge that this study was funded by Yellow River Cultural Ecology Research Institute Project, which is “Study on rural tourism development in traditional villages along the Yellow River in Shanxi (HH202014).” The authors appreciate the respondents for their participation in this survey.

Citation

Wang, M., Abd Rahman, A., Aziz, Y.A. and Adzharuddin, N.A. (2024), "Effects of travel vlogs on travel intention of slow tourism in China: an evaluation of resonance and destination image", International Journal of Tourism Cities, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 1145-1165. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2023-0268

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, International Tourism Studies Association

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