Algorithm-Driven Short Videos and Generation Z Travel Intention: An SOR Perspective
Downloads
Tourism short videos have become an important force in the construction of destination images and can be used as strong tools for tourism promotion. However, there is little research concerning their impact on the travel intention of Generation Z. Based on the emotional evaluation theory and Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this study focuses on the effect of short video communication on the intention of Generation Z to visit Mount Emei through cognitive and emotional channels. Based on the data collected from 396 valid questionnaires and analyzed by using a structural equation model, the results show that short video communication directly improves travel intention. In addition, destination appeal and emotional arousal are partial mediators of this relationship. Destination appeal is also a significant predictor of emotional arousal and thus lends support to a continuous "evaluation-arousal" mechanism. From a theoretical perspective, this study promotes the study of tourism in the SOR framework by integrating two interrelated psychological processes, cognitive evaluation and emotional activation, and extends destination image theory to an algorithm-driven media environment. Practically, the results offer new insights into the dual-path persuasive mechanism of short video tourism marketing and provide valuable implications for the optimization of content targeted short video tourism marketing for digital native tourists.
Downloads
[1] Gretzel, U., Sigala, M., Xiang, Z., & Koo, C. (2015). Smart tourism: foundations and developments. Electronic Markets, 25(3), 179–188. doi:10.1007/s12525-015-0196-8.
[2] Chen, H., Wu, X., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Impact of Short Video Marketing on Tourist Destination Perception in the Post-pandemic Era. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(13), 10220. doi:10.3390/su151310220.
[3] Liu, J., Wang, Y., & Chang, L. (2023). How do short videos influence users’ tourism intention? A study of key factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1036570 10 3389 2022 1036570. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1036570.
[4] Liu, C., Jiang, M., & Muhammad, Z. A. (2024). The impact of TikTok short video factors on tourists’ behavioral intention among Generation Z and Millennials: The role of flow experience. PLoS ONE, 19(12 December), 315140. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0315140.
[5] Yin, J., Qu, X., & Ni, Y. (2024). The marketing of destination distinctiveness: the power of tourism short videos with enjoyability and authenticity. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(14), 2217–2229. doi:10.1080/13683500.2023.2242559.
[6] Gao, J., Liang, S., Sun, S., & Wang, S. (2025). Bridging the Distance: Understanding the Role of Destination Anthropomorphism in Videos on Tourists’ Travel Intention. Journal of Travel Research. doi:10.1177/00472875251341304.
[7] Chen, Z. (2025). Four-stage framework of tourism decision-making in the social media era. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 1–17. doi:10.1108/JHTT-06-2025-0475.
[8] Wang, T. Y., & Park, J. (2023). Destination Information Search in Social Media and Travel Intention of Generation Z University Students. Journal of China Tourism Research, 19(3), 570–588. doi:10.1080/19388160.2022.2101574.
[9] Yang, J. M. (2026). Fast thinking, slow shopping: A context-contingent model of impulse buying across retail formats. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 90, 104714. doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104714.
[10] Pricope Vancia, A. P., Băltescu, C. A., Brătucu, G., Tecău, A. S., Chițu, I. B., & Duguleană, L. (2023). Examining the Disruptive Potential of Generation Z Tourists on the Travel Industry in the Digital Age. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(11), 8756. doi:10.3390/su15118756.
[11] Widaningsih, T. T., & Putranto, A. (2025). Digital tourism communication: effects of influencer credibility, content quality, and e-WoM on emotions, FoMO, self-identification, and visit intentions of Gen Z travelers. Frontiers in Communication, 10, 1717937. doi:10.3389/fcomm.2025.1717937.
[12] Bai, W. (Bella), Lee, T. J., Wu, F., & Wong, J. W. C. (2025). How effective are user-generated travel short videos in promoting a destination online? Journal of Vacation Marketing, 31(3), 578–595. doi:10.1177/13567667231221816.
[13] Wang, Y., Yan, W., Sun, J., & Zhou, M. (2025). The Influence of TikTok User-Generated Content Short Videos on Tourists’ Willingness to Engage in Rural Tourism: The Mediating Role of Destination Image Perception. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 16(4), 1185–1195. doi:10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2025.04.021.
[14] Liu, J., Zhao, J., Wei, W., & Yang, T. (2025). Captivating the crowd: unraveling sentiments in tourism short videos for effective destination marketing on social media. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–28. doi:10.1080/13683500.2025.2462167.
[15] Hussain, K., Wong, P. P. W., Stephenson, M. L., & Chong, K. L. (2025). The impact of social media influencers on viewers’ inspiration towards tourism destinations and revisit intention: a combined PLS-SEM and NCA approach. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–24. doi:10.1080/13683500.2025.2571436.
[16] Chrismardani, Y., Iriani, S. S., & Artanti, Y. (2025). How Tourist Destination Online Content and Social Media Interaction Influence Tourist’s Visit Intention? Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Arts and Humanities 2024 (IJCAH 2024), 166–180. doi:10.2991/978-2-38476-317-7_19.
[17] Fan, X., Wang, B., Wong, B. K. M., & Qi, M. (2025). Can internet celebrities’ short videos shape the image of rural tourism destinations? Empirical insights from China. Asian Journal of Business Research, 15(4), 136–156. doi:10.14707/ajbr.250213.
[18] Chen, X., Lee, G., & Joo, D. (2024). Natural landscape performance: Environmental restorativeness and its influence on tourist behavior. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(2), 2636. doi:10.1002/jtr.2636.
[19] Zhai, L., Wang, C., Zhang, T., Qiao, H., Gao, Y., Tao, Y., & Liu, J. (2025). Tourist Rural Destination Restorative Capacity: Scale Development and Validation. Journal of Travel Research, 64(2), 444–461. doi:10.1177/00472875231214743.
[20] Jia, J., Shi, P., Lee, T. J., & Li, S. (2025). Can restorative wellness destinations enhance tourists’ sense of meaning in life? Current Issues in Tourism, 2586790. doi:10.1080/13683500.2025.2586790.
[21] Hernández-Fernaud, E., Delgado, N., & Ruiz, C. (2025). A short version of Perceived Destination Restorative Quality Scale (PDRQS): empirical structure and relationship with tourist satisfaction. Tourism Recreation Research, 1–15. doi:10.1080/02508281.2025.2493163.
[22] Zhang, C., Zhao, B., Yu, C., Wang, S., & Zhang, X. (2026). “We got you!”: Determinants of attention-grabbing short tourism video titles—Evidence from Douyin in China. Tourism Management Perspectives, 61, 101458. doi:10.1016/j.tmp.2026.101458.
[23] Serrano-Malebrán, J., Campos-Núñez, F., Vidal-Silva, C., Veneros-Alquinta, D., Zuñiga-Contreras, F., & Ahumada-Gutierrez, D. (2025). From search engines to social influence: a stimulus–organism–response model of travel influencers on TikTok. Frontiers in Communication, 10, 1649647. doi:10.3389/fcomm.2025.1649647.
[24] Xu, W., Yao, Z., He, D., & Cao, L. (2025). Understanding online review helpfulness: a pleasure-arousal-dominance (PAD) model perspective. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 77(2), 391–412. doi:10.1108/AJIM-04-2023-0121.
[25] Lin, S., Ren, Y., Ye, S., Ma, S., & Hu, X. (2025). How interactive videos shape travel intentions of Generation Z: an extension of presence theory. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 1–28. doi:10.1108/JHTT-03-2025-0264.
[26] Wu, X., & Lai, I. K. W. (2024). How the creativity and authenticity of destination short videos influence audiences’ attitudes toward videos and destinations: the mediating role of emotions and the moderating role of parasocial interaction with Internet celebrities. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(15), 2428–2447. doi:10.1080/13683500.2023.2229483.
[27] Sujood, & Pancy. (2024). Travelling with open eyes! A study to measure consumers’ intention towards experiencing immersive technologies at tourism destinations by using an integrated model of TPB, TAM captured through the lens of S-O-R. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(11), 3906–3929. doi:10.1108/IJCHM-11-2023-1771.
[28] Jiang, S., Zhang, Z., Xu, H., & Pan, Y. (2024). What Influences Users’ Continuous Behavioral Intention in Cultural Heritage Virtual Tourism: Integrating Experience Economy Theory and Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) Model. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(23), 10231. doi:10.3390/su162310231.
[29] Wei, Y., Liu, H., Zhuo, W., & Park, K. S. (2025). The Influence of Social Media Attributes on Impulsive Travel Intentions: Integrating the Stimulus–Organism–Response Theory and Information Adoption Model. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(10), 4404. doi:10.3390/su17104404.
[30] Wang, M., Xie, X., Zhang, H., Du, Y., & Chu, Z. (2025). Synergistic Effects of Content Structure and Sensory Elements: Exploring the Impact Mechanism of Tourism Short Videos on Travel Intention. Transformations in Business and Economics, 24(2), 483–500. doi:10.15388/TIBE.2025.24.2.22.
[31] Qu, Y., Zhou, S., & Zhang, Q. (2025). Integrative subjective well-being in tourism. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 13567667251318770. doi:10.1177/13567667251318770.
[32] Anubha, A. (2025). Tourist experience and destination evangelism: the mediating role of inspiration. Current Issues in Tourism, 28(24), 3954–3985. doi:10.1080/13683500.2024.2409861.
[33] Alrawadieh, Z., Prayag, G., Adie, B. A., & Alrawadieh, Z. (2025). Tourism impacts and well-being in heritage tourism: the role of discrete emotions and site sustainability characteristics. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 20(5), 642–660. doi:10.1080/1743873X.2025.2502350.
[34] Huang, T., & Zhang, Y. (2024). ‘Roots’ tourists’ personal heritage experience: An extended cognitive-affective-conative model. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 61, 212–223. doi:10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.10.009.
[35] Shen, C. (2025). Social media marketing and digital influence for visitor flow management in sustainable heritage tourism. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 1-14. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-28555-9.
[36] Qiu, L., Li, X., & Choi, S. Hee. (2024). Exploring the influence of short video platforms on tourist attitudes and travel intention: A social–technical perspective. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 31, 100826. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100826.
[37] Li, Z., Chan, C., Chen, Y. F., Chan, W. W. H., & Im, U. L. (2024). Millennials’ Hotel Restaurant Visit Intention: An Analysis of Key Online Opinion Leaders’ Digital Marketing Content. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, 25(6), 2074–2103. doi:10.1080/1528008X.2023.2219467.
[38] Zhao, C., Shen, H., & Zhang, Y. (2022). The study on the impact of short video tourism Vloggers at social media platform on online sharing intention. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 905002. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.905002.
[39] Chanrueang, S., Thammaboosadee, S., & Yu, H. (2024). A Personalized Hybrid Tourist Destination Recommendation System: An Integration of Emotion and Sentiment Approach. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 15(8), 18–27. doi:10.14569/IJACSA.2024.0150803.
[40] Costa-Feito, A., Rodríguez-Santos, C., González-Fernández, A. M., & Marques dos Santos, J. P. (2025). The emotional paradox of short promotional videos in urban tourism: cognitive and affective responses in decision-making under stress or joy. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 42(5), 708–723. doi:10.1080/10548408.2025.2505890.
[41] Cao, S., & Cao, N. (2025). Emotion-Aware Design: Modulating Valence, Arousal, and Dominance in Communication via Design. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2502.16038. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2502.16038.
[42] Song, S., & Kim, H. Y. (2022). Is social media marketing worth it for luxury brands? The dual impact of brand page satisfaction and brand love on word-of-mouth and attitudinal loyalty intentions. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 31(7), 1033–1046. doi:10.1108/JPBM-06-2020-2936.
[43] Junfeng, W., & Ning, Z. (2025). The role of smart recommendations in shaping tourists’ emotional arousal and destination preferences: the case of TikTok among Chinese tourists. Tourism Recreation Research, 1–12. doi:10.1080/02508281.2025.2465984.
[44] Li, H., & Tu, X. (2024). Who generates your video ads? The matching effect of short-form video sources and destination types on visit intention. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 36(3), 660–677. doi:10.1108/APJML-04-2023-0300.
[45] Wang, G., Ren, L., Qiu, H., & Yao, Y. (2022). Salient health goal, salient restoration? A transformative model of wellness tourism. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 39(7–9), 1–18. doi:10.1080/10548408.2023.2184443.
[46] Sharma, I., Sharma, S., Aggarwal, A., & Gupta, S. (2024). Exploring the link between creative tourist experiences and intentions among Gen Z: a sequential mediation modeling approach in creative tourism. Young Consumers, 25(6), 928–952. doi:10.1108/YC-01-2024-1950.
[47] Basirati, M., & Laachach, A. (2025). Clustering sustainable tourism destinations through Instagram photo analysis: a machine learning approach. Tourism Review, 81(1), 48–73 10 1108 –11–2024–0987. doi:10.1108/TR-11-2024-0987.
[48] Christou, E., Giannopoulos, A., & Simeli, I. (2025). The Evolution of Digital Tourism Marketing: From Hashtags to AI-Immersive Journeys in the Metaverse Era. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(13), 6016. doi:10.3390/su17136016.
[49] Zhang, W., Chen, J., Ni, Z., & Si, X. (2026). Short videos and destination image reconstruction: a multidimensional comparative analysis on three Chinese Wanghong tourism cities. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 1–20. doi:10.1080/10941665.2026.2622395.
[50] Zheng, Y., Li, Y., Shi, N., Sun, X., & Pan, Y. (2024). Neither more nor less: understanding positive emotion of posts and user engagement on tourism social media. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 29(6), 736–752. doi:10.1080/10941665.2024.2342366.
[51] Wang, P., Zhou, B., Ya, J., Han, L., & Zhu, Y. (2025). The impact of perceived restorative destination environments on tourists’ willingness-To-Pay for environmental protection. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 19989. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-03403-y.
[52] Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques. Johan Wiley & Sons Inc., New Jersey, United States.
[53] Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common Method Biases in Behavioral Research: A Critical Review of the Literature and Recommended Remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879.
[54] Liao, W., Khan, M. S., & Liao, G. (2026). From appraisal to word-of-mouth: affective pathways through awe and restoration in high-altitude ecocultural tourism using a mixed-methods design. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1740267. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1740267.
[55] Kou, L., Wei, C., Chi, C. G., & Xu, H. (2025). Understanding sensescapes and restorative effects of nature-based destinations: a mixed-methods approach. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 33(2), 243–264. doi:10.1080/09669582.2024.2324021.
[56] Fong, S. F., Ong, Y. X., Ating, R., & Besa, M. S. (2025). Exploring the intermediary effects of TikTok on Generation Z’s visit intention. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 31(3), 736–752. doi:10.1177/13567667241229449.
[57] Hong, Y., & Liang, X. (2025). Determinants of Douyin Generation Z users’ intentions to visit niche tourist destinations: a hybrid approach using PLS-SEM, MGA and fsQCA. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 31(2), 434–464. doi:10.1080/10941665.2025.2511777.
[58] Miskolczi, M., Michalkó, G. I., & Farkas, J. (2025). Travel into my future: perceptions of Generation Z along a fictive journey. Journal of Tourism Futures, 1–22. doi:10.1108/JTF-07-2024-0141.
[59] Mirzaei, R., Chakerreza, S., & Tabrizi, N. (2025). The Role of Virtual Reality in Tourism Marketing: Virtual Destination Image Formation and Behavioral Intentions. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 26(5), 964–986. doi:10.1080/15256480.2024.2386702.
[60] Li, H., Chen, S., He, B., & Huang, G. (2025). What drives Zen meditation tourism? Evidence from PLS-SEM and fsQCA based on push–pull-constraints framework. Journal of Vacation Marketing. doi:10.1177/13567667251360435.
[61] Ding, M. (2023). The Influence of the Atmosphere of Religious Landscape ‘Emei’on Tourists’ Perceived Value. Doctoral dissertation, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand.
[62] Moreno, D. E., Cervantes, C., Hernandez, J., Ticar, L. M., Rodrigo, R., & Amores, C. (2026). The Role of Short-Form Video Content on Online Tourism Destination Image and Travel Intent. ICBIM 2025 - The 9th International Conference on Business and Information Management, 147–153. doi:10.1145/3785171.3785218.
[63] van der Merwe, A. J., Izally, S. R., & Raubenheimer, L. (2026). Combined Bayesian estimates for Cronbach’s alpha in the case of the balanced random effects model. Communications in Statistics - Theory and Methods, 55(1), 1–20. doi:10.1080/03610926.2025.2483285.
[64] Wang, J., Fang, Q., Wu, Y., Du, S., & Yin, X. (2025). From watching to sharing and visiting: Impact of short video marketing on tourist behavioral intentions from a seasonal iconness perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. doi:10.1080/10941665.2025.2556212.
[65] Zhou, Y., & Jiao, W. (2025). Investigating the effect of tourism short video background music congruence on viewers’ travel intention. Current Issues in Tourism, 28(9), 1496–1512. doi:10.1080/13683500.2024.2343082.
- The authors retain all copyrights. It is noticeable that authors will not be forced to sign any copyright transfer agreements.
- This work (including HTML and PDF Files) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
