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Can short video boost people’s intention to travel?

中文版本 / Chinese version
The rising popularity of short-video platforms could be harnessed by destination marketers to increase consumers’ intention to travel to featured places, suggests a new piece of research

A new study involving a scholar and a doctoral student from UTM suggests that destination management organisations should utilise popular online short-video platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels for tourism promotion purposes. Such platforms, the researchers concluded, can generate among viewers a positive attitude towards destinations that appear on them, and make viewers want to visit the actual places.

The research was by UTM Assistant Professor Dr. Li Xiangping and doctoral student Mr. Qiu Liangwei. It was in collaboration with Dr. Choi Suh-hee from Kyung Hee University, in Seoul, South Korea. Dr. Choi is a former UTM scholar.

Their paper, “Exploring the influence of short video platforms on tourist attitudes and travel intention: A social–technical perspective”, was published in the March issue of the Journal of Destination Marketing & Management. UTM provided financial support for proofreading of the paper.

The study found that when social media influencers featured recognised destinations in short-format videos, their perceived expertise could influence viewers’ attitudes towards such destinations and make them want to go there. Additionally, the usefulness and enjoyment of such content – as perceived by viewers – could also positively impact d consumer attitudes regarding the short-video platforms themselves, in turn influencing viewers’ attitudes towards the destinations featured.

The study authors noted that using short-video platforms for tourism promotion required a unique approach compared to other video formats such as vlogs and live-streaming. Short-video formats might involve a variety of specific technologies, video shooting techniques, and storytelling methods.

The findings were based on a questionnaire answered by 454 individuals from Mainland China: people aged 18 or above, who had watched short videos related to tourism destinations on short-format platforms. The questionnaire was distributed via Wenjuanxing, a prominent Chinese online survey platform, and shared on the social media platform WeChat, in order to enable collection of data.

Benefitting from short-format videos

The researchers observed that destination management organisations traditionally allocated “huge budgets” to produce traditional promotional videos showcasing their tourism offerings. However, with the development of the platform capabilities of the Internet, the researchers suggested destination marketers should make use of new technologies such as digital short-video platforms to “enhance communication effectiveness and stimulate individuals’ intentions” to visit destinations.

The study recommended that destination management organisations collaborate with travel influencers online – namely those who possess specialised knowledge of a destination – in order to produce content for short-video platforms. Emphasising the influencers’ expertise through video editing was highlighted as crucial.

The researchers stressed that if viewers perceive travel influencers as knowledgeable about, and familiar with, the destinations featured, such viewers were more likely to consider favourably the destination portrayed in the videos. “In light of this, the video should focus on introducing tourism activities, giving the impression that the influencers are well-informed about the place, and that the information being delivered is authentic,” wrote the researchers.

Furthermore, when collaborating with social media influencers, destination management organisations should “prioritise the usefulness of the information” presented in the short video, so as to serve as a reference for travel planning, while ensuring that the content remains entertaining, the researchers suggested.


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Mr. Qiu Liangwei is a PhD candidate at UTM. His research interests centre on special interest tourism and destination digital marketing.

Dr. Li Xiangping is an Assistant Professor at UTM, where she is also Coordinator for the Tourism Business Management Programme. Dr. Li has a PhD in hospitality and tourism management from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University – known as Virginia Tech – in Virginia, in the United States. Her research interests cover sustainable tourism development, destination marketing, tourist behaviour, and tourist experience.

Dr. Choi Suh-hee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Kyung Hee University, in Seoul, South Korea. Dr. Choi earned a PhD in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University, in Indiana, in the United States. She has previously taught at UTM. Her research interests include the field of tourism mobilities, public diplomacy, migrants’ leisure, serious leisure, cultural tourism, and tourist experience.

Liangwei Qiu, Xiangping Li and Suh-hee Choi: “Exploring the influence of short video platforms on tourist attitudes and travel intention: A social–technical perspective”, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, Volume 31, 2024.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100826

Editor: Research Corner | A partnership between Macau Business and UTM