ABSTRACT Marketing, as a dynamic concept, updates itself with the current developments both in the supply and/or demand side. The global integration of music, visual storytelling and social media is collectively about to change the marketing strategies of destinations. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the role of music videos as audiovisual tools that shape destination image and travel intentions through the deeper analysis of user interactions and comments. Using a mixed methods design, 34,667 YouTube comments, qualitative in nature, were analysed and tested within the proposed conceptual model by conversion. As one of the pioneering empirical studies, the current study concludes that music videos are likely to attract potential visitors and improve destination image or awareness. Findings may guide improvements in upgrading the strategies to be applied for destination marketing by suggesting music videos as an effective tool and deepening the methodological perspective by converting qualitative data into quantitative metrics.

ABSTRACT This paper explores how BTS (Korean: 방탄소년단, Romanised: Bangtan Sonyeondan), as global K-Pop icons, influence South Korea's destination image and travellers’ willingness to visit. Using secondary data and insights from focus groups with BTS fans (known as ARMY) and non-fans, the study establishes a link between ARMY's engagement with K-Pop and their perception of the destination. While BTS's involvement in tourism campaigns has limited direct impact on travel decisions, especially among non-fans, the research reveals deeper dynamics. BTS fans' engagement is strongly tied to parasocial relationships, which in turn shape how they perceive and emotionally connect with South Korea as a destination. The research highlights the limited impact of celebrity endorsements on destination marketing, while establishing parasocial relationship as a key element in the context of destination image for fans.

ABSTRACT While research on social return’s influential power has grown, there remains a gap surrounding the understanding of how different generations view social return and how it impacts their travel behaviour. This research employs a multi-study investigation by pooling data from three studies to examine whether one’s generational cohort influences the perceived social return from visiting a destination and whether the influence of social return differs by generation. Results indicate that the effect of social return on travel intention is significantly weaker for Baby Boomers than for younger generations. In contrast, social return exerts a stronger influence on Millennials’ intentions to visit unconventional destinations, while showing the opposite pattern for Gen-Z with respect to conventional destinations – highlighting younger travellers’ preference for novelty, adventure and uniqueness. Beyond validating the generalizability of the social return scale, this study provides actionable insights for destination marketers to design generationally nuanced segmentation and targeting strategies.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how tour guides’ professional competencies affect memorable pilgrimage experiences and how these experiences, in turn, contribute to destination brand identification, brand love and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach An online, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data from 307 Pakistani Muslims who had participated in a packaged Umrah tour. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS, including confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings All three sub-dimensions of tour guides’ professional competencies significantly affect memorable pilgrimage experiences. In addition, memorable pilgrimage experiences have a positive influence on brand identification and destination brand love, which in positively affect destination loyalty. Originality/value Unlike prior studies, the current research integrates the dimensions of professional knowledge, skills and attitude to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these competencies enhance pilgrims’ experiences and foster destination brand identification, love and loyalty. Accordingly, this study not only addresses a theoretical gap but also enriches scholarly discussions by providing a new lens on how tour guides’ competencies shape pilgrims’ emotional and behavioral outcomes in the context of Islamic tourism. By doing so, this research highlights the strategic significance of qualified tour guides in Muslim pilgrimage tourism and offers meaningful implications for both tour operators and destination marketers.

ABSTRACT Research question This study examines how value co-creation experiences affect sport tourists’ brand perception of a destination, focusing on non-mega sport events. Value co-creation and tourist evangelism, while gaining attention in the field of general tourism, have not been deeply examined in sport tourism and non-mega events. This study aims to fill the gap by focusing on destination brand evangelism in non-mega sport event-based tourism and examining the processes of mediation and moderation. Research methods Using data collected from 486 sport tourists who visited Rongjiang County to watch the Village Super League within the past two years, this study employed partial least squares structural equation modelling via SmartPLS 4.1. Data were collected through an online survey platform using convenience sampling in December 2024. Results and Findings Path analysis revealed that value co-creation experience positively impacts brand equity, which fosters stronger brand attachment and evangelism. The study identified dual mediation pathways: cognitive (through brand equity) and affective (through brand attachment), with a significant sequential mediation effect. Sport involvement did not significantly moderate these relationships, suggesting that the co-creation to evangelism pathways operate similarly for high and low sport involvement tourists. Implications This research advances service-dominant logic, transformative learning theory, and social exchange theory within non-mega sport event-based tourism, introducing a dual-pathway framework that bridges cognitive and affective dimensions of destination branding. Findings provide destination marketing organisations with strategic insights for leveraging non-mega sport events to cultivate devoted brand evangelists through authentic, community-based experiences.

This study examines how export market concentration shapes export earnings stability from an international finance perspective. Using secondary data compiled from ITC Trade Map for Indonesia’s non oil exports during 2022-2025, the paper evaluates export value dynamics, destination market concentration, and the stability of foreign exchange generating export earnings. The analysis combines descriptive trend analysis, market share decomposition, the Herfindahl Hirschman Index (HHI), and the coefficient of variation (CV) of export earnings. The results indicate three main findings. First, Indonesia’s export earnings remained resilient despite global tightening, commodity price normalization, and exchange rate uncertainty. Second, export destinations were still moderately concentrated in a limited set of large markets, especially China, the United States, and India, implying exposure to partner specific demand shocks. Third, moderate diversification across secondary markets helped cushion aggregate earnings volatility, although sectoral dependence on a few commodities linked products remained visible. The study contributes to the international finance literature by showing that trade structure is not only a competitiveness issue but also a financial risk issue because export concentration affects foreign exchange inflows, external liquidity, and macro financial resilience. Policy implications include deeper market diversification, export upgrading, and broader use of trade finance and hedging instruments.

ABSTRACT By integrating the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and self-reported surveys, this study explores the intricate dynamics of emotional contagion and parasocial relationships within the context of tourism imagery. The findings reveal that implicit attitudes for images featuring smiles are associated with lower travel intentions. This indicates that automatic affective associations do not always translate into overt behavioural intentions. Conversely, explicit emotional experiences significantly impact travellers’ intentions and their perceived relationships with destinations. This research also highlights the novelty of applying IAT to examine parasocial relationships in tourism. By offering fresh insights into automatic evaluative associations elicited by emotional cues, this research provides guidance for destination marketers aiming to evoke genuine emotional engagement and enhance destination appeal.

The decision-making process among participants of in-person academic association conferences is shaped by multiple factors, with the characteristics of the host tourism destination gaining increasing relevance in the post-pandemic context. This study explores how perceptions of destination value influence conference selection, reflecting trends in business tourism and changing attendee preferences. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, the research combines 41 qualitative interviews with a quantitative survey of 310 valid responses from participants of conferences held between 2018 and 2023. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) assesses the impact of destination-related factors within a multidimensional value framework encompassing functional, emotional, and social dimensions. The findings highlight the importance of destination image and show that satisfaction with both the event and the location strongly influences future behavioural intentions. By incorporating these insights into a refined model of attendee decision-making, the study contributes to the theoretical advancement of conference tourism and offers practical guidance for event organizers and destination marketers.

The rapid expansion of social media platforms has profoundly reshaped the global tourism landscape, fundamentally altering the ways in which tourists search for information, evaluate destinations, and share travel experiences. With the shift from traditional information sources to user-generated content, social media has emerged as a powerful tool influencing tourists’ cognitive, affective, and behavioural processes before, during, and after travel. The present study examines the influence of social media on tourism destination choice, tourist satisfaction, and behaviour pertaining to the heritage and religious destinations of Rajasthan in India. The findings reveal that social media significantly influences destination choice and tourist satisfaction, while tourist satisfaction plays a strong mediating role between social media and tourist behaviour. The study offers robust theoretical contributions and actionable implications for destination marketers and policymakers in digitally evolving tourism markets.

This study analyzes and compares marketing, positioning, and communication strategies of successful island destinations in order to adapt the most relevant approaches to the context of the Galápagos Islands, thereby strengthening their positioning as a sustainable tourist destination of international significance. Using a qualitative, comparative, and inductive approach, and employing the Atlas.ti 25 tool, reference cases such as Hawaii, the Maldives, the Canary Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Jeju were examined, where tourism promotion is integrated with environmental conservation and community engagement. The results reveal that the most effective strategies rely on digital platforms, the creation of authentic experiences, and the development of communication campaigns that intertwine sustainability, culture, and international promotion. The study proposes strategic lines of action based on sustainability, innovation, and international partnerships, enabling the Galápagos Islands to enhance their global competitiveness and consolidate a model of responsible tourism with high ecological value.

This study investigates how digital communication technologies contribute to the effective marketing of tourism destinations in Cross River State, Nigeria. Drawing from contemporary literature on information and communication technologies (ICTs) and tourism marketing, the study positions digital communication as a critical strategic resource for enhancing destination awareness, stimulating tourist patronage, and achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Building on insights from relevant empirical and theoretical works, the study proposes a testable framework for ICT-enabled tourism marketing within a developing economy context. A survey research design was adopted, while data were analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The findings demonstrate that digital communication plays a significant role in promoting tourist attractions in Calabar, leading to improved tourist satisfaction. In addition, the results reveal a strong association between digital communication and the sustainable competitive advantage of tourism destinations in the study area. Keywords: Digital Communication, Information and Communication Technology, Tourism Marketing, Tourist Patronage, Sustainable Competitive Advantage.

Strong destination logos can influence tourists’ attitudes and their willingness to visit. Destination marketing organizations should carefully design their logos. The present study explores the effectiveness of logo complexity on tourists’ travel intentions. The study hypotheses are developed based on the theoretical concepts of tourist self-congruity. We conducted two experiments, collecting data from a total of 940 participants. Findings show that complex (vs. simple) logos increase arousal and travel intentions when matched with tourists’ exciting (vs. calm) self-concept. This effect is moderated by the destination slogan: congruent slogans strengthen the impact, while incongruent ones weaken it. These results underscore the importance of aligning visual and verbal cues with tourists’ self-perceptions.

This study aims to evaluate tourists’ electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intentions regarding night tourism in Can Tho City. Using a qualitative method with 30 semi-structured interviews, the study employed content analysis to identify tourist behaviors, motivations, and forms of information sharing following their night tourism experiences. The findings indicated that 90% of participants expressed an intention to share their experiences on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Tripadvisor. Three main categories of shared content were identified: (1) images and videos of prominent night-time attractions; (2) reviews of services and culinary experiences; and (3) recommendation- or warning-oriented information. The key factors influencing tourists’ eWOM intentions about night tourism in Can Tho included: the novelty of the experience, service quality, positive emotional responses, digital infrastructure, the desire for self-expression, and the usability of sharing platforms. The study proposes several strategies to enhance eWOM intentions regarding night tourism in Can Tho, including the development of distinctive night tourism products, investment in network infrastructure, and the implementation of campaigns that encourage online sharing. The findings contribute practical insights for destination marketing strategies in the digital era.

Digital narratives have become a core tool for tourism marketing in the social media era, but the psychological mechanisms by which they influence tourists' decision-making have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we integrated the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and narrative transmission theory to construct a dual-processing framework for digital narratives to influence tourism intention, revealing that they shape tourism attitudes through the central path (information quality) and the peripheral path (narrative attractiveness), thus influencing tourism intention and exploring the moderating effect of media engagement. The study used an online questionnaire to collect 367 valid samples, which were analyzed by structural equation modeling. The reliability of the measurement model was good (α=0.8470.912, CR=0.853-0.915, AVE=0.638-0.782), and the fit of the structural model was excellent (χ²/df=2.189, CFI=0.947, RMSEA=0.057). The results showed that: (1) both digital narrative quality (β=0.394***) and attractiveness (β=0.447***) significantly and positively affected tourism attitudes; (2) tourism attitudes fully mediated the effect of digital narratives on intention, with indirect effects of 0.269 and 0.305, respectively; and (3) media engagement significantly moderated the relationship between attitudes and intention (Δχ²=12.437***), and the path coefficient of high engagement group (χ²/df=2.189, CFI=0.947, RMSEA=0.057). The path coefficient of the high participation group (β=0.762) was significantly higher than that of the low participation group (β=0.591), with a critical value of 4.23. The contribution of the study is to integrate the dual theoretical perspectives to clarify the influencing mechanism, to validate the mediating role of attitudes, and to reveal the boundary conditions of media participation, so that it can provide differentiated strategic guidance for destination marketing.

Introduction Digital tourism platforms have become increasingly influential in shaping tourists’ experiences and behavioral intentions, serving as important marketing and communication channels. However, existing research has paid limited attention to how specific platform attributes are associated with tourists’ revisit intentions through experiential processes. Methods Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, this study examines how four key attributes of digital tourism platforms—platform accessibility, platform usability, personalized recommendations, and online review quality—are associated with revisit intention, with the association mediated by the quality of tourist experience. Data were collected from 581 individuals who had visited Beijing, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. Results All four platform attributes are associated with the quality of the tourist experience, which in turn significantly predicts revisit intention. Furthermore, the quality of the tourist experience partially mediates the relationship between platform attributes and revisit intention, suggesting that tourists’ experiential evaluations play a central role in this relationship. Discussion These findings highlight the critical role of the quality of the tourist experience in are associated with revisit intention through within a communication-based SOR framework. The study contributes to understanding how digital tourism platforms serve as marketing stimuli that shape tourist behavior. In practical terms, the findings have implications for platform operators and destination marketers seeking to enhance digital communication strategies and promote sustainable revisit behavior.

ABSTRACT This study employs a bibliometric analysis to explore research trends, collaborations, and key themes concerning AR and VR in tourism. Findings reveal a significant increase in research attention over the past decade, with a primary focus on destination marketing, virtual cultural and historical site visits, and the cognitive and emotional impacts of these technologies. Emerging trends include integrating AR/VR with AI and IoT. Despite advancements, research gaps remain, including the long-term effects on tourist behavior and destination sustainability, as well as economic assessments, cost-benefit analyses, and large-scale studies on user acceptance. This overview of current research offers recommendations for future directions, including the integration of the metaverse, personalized tourism experience models, and broader empirical studies. These results can inform policy development and the design of standard frameworks for applying AR/VR in tourism experience management.

Tourism destinations increasingly promote sustainability in their branding efforts in the post-Covid period. However, a persistent gap often exists between their measurable sustainability performance and the communicated brand narratives. This study examines how countries with different World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 scores utilize sustainability themes in their tourism branding. We compare Germany, Portugal, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Greece — six destinations with diverse performance levels and strategies — through a comparative case study approach. Quantitative data from TTDI are complemented by the Tourism Potential Creation Index (TPCI) to capture tourism efficiency relative to population size. These benchmarks are combined with a qualitative content analysis of official tourism websites, campaigns (2020–2025), and social media materials. The analysis builds upon Zenker's stakeholder-oriented place branding model and extends Kiraz's Sustainability-Oriented City Branding Index (SOCBI) to national tourism contexts. We employ the Tourism Potential Creation Index (TPCI= Country Tourism Creation Capacity Ratio ÷ Country Population Ratio) to understand the relationship between actual performance and the authenticity of branding. Official tourism websites and sustainability communication strategies are analyzed across three dimensions: Environmental Communication, Adaptive Branding, and Communication Authenticity. Our findings reveal a strong negative correlation (r = -0.913, p < 0.01) between environmental performance and communication intensity, suggesting that destinations with lower environmental performance compensate through intensified sustainability messaging. Four distinct patterns emerge: high-performing destinations (Germany, Spain) integrate sustainability authentically, silent performers (Portugal) underutilize their achievements, while aspirational communicators (Turkey) employ intensive branding focused on cultural and environmental heritage, and moderate aligners (Italy, Greece) balance performance with communication. This reveals a performance-communication gap that carries both opportunities and credibility risks. The analysis suggests sustainability communication serves primarily as a defensive strategy to avoid negative perceptions rather than a proactive differentiator, reflecting the asymmetric influence of environmental credentials on destination choice. The study contributes theoretically by linking performance indices with destination branding research, and practically by offering recommendations for aligning sustainability branding with measurable outcomes. The findings provide valuable insights for tourism boards seeking to balance authenticity and aspiration in sustainable destination marketing.

Purpose – While sustainability has gained interest in tourism studies, extant research indicates a gap between consumers’ green marketing awareness and perception and their actual behaviours. Using a Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this study contributes to a better understanding of the influence of specific green marketing strategies in shaping environmentally conscious tourist decisions. Methodology/Design/Approach – This study employed a descriptive research approach and quantitatively surveyed 250 tourists in Sweden, selected through a simple random sampling technique. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM), with Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) applied to refine measurement constructs. Findings – The results revealed that green marketing awareness significantly enhances tourists’ eco-friendly purchasing behaviour. Comparatively, its influence on destination loyalty is weaker. Tourists’ perception partially mediates the relationship between green marketing and green purchase behaviour, and it completely mediates the effect on long-term loyalty. Originality of the research – The study advances existing literature by emphasising the importance of green marketing and its tools in enhancing tourist decision-making, acting as a stimulus influencing tourists’ eco-friendly behaviours. The findings have implications for destination marketing organisations (DMOs) in incorporating strategies to combat greenwashing, improve consumer experiences, and foster long-term loyalty.

The tourism industry increasingly relies on digital technologies to enrich visitor experiences, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen destination marketing. Traditional promotional methods are often insufficient, while augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and digital twin applications are emerging as transformative tools. For these technologies to succeed, rapid, portable, and low-cost three-dimensional (3D) data acquisition methods are essential. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has long been recognized for its precision in generating dense point clouds; however, conventional terrestrial systems are expensive, bulky, and require expert operation. The iPad’s built-in LiDAR sensor offers a practical alternative with portability, affordability, and ease of use, enabling fast and on-site digitization of cultural heritage assets. In this study, five representative objects were documented during a city tour using iPad LiDAR and processed through Reconstructor® for point cloud filtering and mesh generation. The resulting 3D models included: (1) a human statue (~0.8 × 0.8 × 1.6 m), (2) a violinist statue (~0.9 × 0.7 × 1.7 m), (3) a seated group around a table (~1.8 × 1.6 × 1.6 m), (4) an ancient stone pedestal (~1.2 × 1.0 × 0.8 m), and (5) an elderly couple on a bench (~1.8 × 0.8 × 1.5 m). Scanning sessions lasted 3–6 minutes, with processing times between 7–15 minutes. Point clouds contained between 480,000 and 1.25 million points, while meshes ranged from 85,000 to 210,000 faces. To quantitatively evaluate geometric quality, three core analyses were performed in CloudCompare (v2.12): (i) Roughness Analysis to measure local surface irregularities, (ii) Normal Deviation Analysis to assess orientation stability, and (iii) Point-to-Mesh (C2M) Distance Analysis to determine geometric accuracy and consistency. Across all models, mean roughness values ranged from 4.1–7.4 mm, normal deviations from 7°–27°, and C2M median accuracy from 4.8–7.9 mm, demonstrating that post-processing effectively compensates for raw LiDAR noise and alignment drift. These results confirm that iPad LiDAR can generate complete and metrically coherent 3D reconstructions in under 15 minutes per object, balancing practicality and geometric fidelity. The workflow offers a reproducible and accessible solution for rapid cultural heritage digitization, supporting immersive tourism experiences and the broader digital transformation of heritage preservation, interpretation, and public engagement.

Township tourism is increasingly seen as a tool that can be used to transform the overall tourism industry. For South Africa, township tourism illustrates attempts to drive inclusive growth, safeguard cultural resources, and promote socio-economic benefits to historically marginalised communities. Despite the opportunities presented by township tourism, its marketing faces persistent challenges that impede successful implementation. This conceptual paper critically examines challenges and prospects of township tourism marketing in South Africa. Utilising the extant academic literature as points of discussion, this study identifies marketing challenges in marketing townships as tourism products. These problems comprise a continual negative destination image, insufficient infrastructure, low level of digital visibility, safety and security issues, and fragmented marketing. The study also brings to the fore new opportunities that are linked with township tourism in South Africa. The article also highlights the importance of strategic multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration in developing sustainable township tourism. Theoretically, the study synthesizes stakeholder and destination branding models to gain a comprehensive understanding of different marketing approaches that can be applied to reposition township destinations as culturally rich tourism environments. The paper concludes by outlining a framework for marketing township tourism in South Africa. This framework underlines the need to focus on collaboration, authenticity, and innovation as three basic pillars for ensuring sustainable township tourism marketing. The study provides recommendations on how to use digital marketing, storytelling, and co-branding interventions that increase awareness and attractiveness of township tourism. This paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding ‛emerging market’ tourism by creating a conceptual base for future empirical studies about township destination marketing.