Video game–induced tourism: a new frontier for destination marketers
ISSN: 1660-5373
Article publication date: 26 April 2018
Issue publication date: 1 May 2018
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to expand the media-related tourism literature in a new domain of application by highlighting a connection between the world of video games and tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
Through deductive content analysis, this study looks at 137 online comments posted on popular gaming and travel websites that connect two popular video games (Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed Unity) and travel motivation.
Findings
Results establish that video games share similar travel motivation elements with film and should be considered as a driver of tourism. It argues that destinations should consider video games as a platform for motivating tourists before they consider investing in virtual reality. It outlines opportunities for destinations interested in video game-induced tourism and calls for more research and case studies that link video games with destinations.
Originality/value
This is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first paper to investigate this connection. As such, it outlines untapped opportunities for destinations interested in video game-induced tourism and opens up a new line of research within media-related tourism literature.
Keywords
Citation
Dubois, L.-E. and Gibbs, C. (2018), "Video game–induced tourism: a new frontier for destination marketers", Tourism Review, Vol. 73 No. 2, pp. 186-198. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-07-2017-0115
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited