TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental or Personal Benefit? The Role of Message Appeal and Information Type in Destination Social Media Advertisements
AU - Japutra, Arnold
AU - Can, Ali Selcuk
AU - Alphun, Cihan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Destinations are increasingly focusing on sustainability awareness through tourism campaigns, but effective communication remains challenging. This research, rooted in consumption value theory, delves into the influence of message appeal (environmental vs. personal benefit) and information type (objective vs. subjective) on tourists’ behavioral intentions through two online experiments. Study 1 demonstrates the positive impact of environmental benefit message appeals on behavioral intentions toward destinations, both directly and indirectly, by enhancing destination brand quality and perceived green value. Study 2 validates these findings and extends the analysis to include click-through behavior as a proxy for real behavior. Our research emphasizes the importance of environmental benefits alongside objective information in destinations’ sustainability messages within social media advertisements. This approach serves to bolster destination brand quality, perceived green value, and ultimately, positive behavioral intentions.
AB - Destinations are increasingly focusing on sustainability awareness through tourism campaigns, but effective communication remains challenging. This research, rooted in consumption value theory, delves into the influence of message appeal (environmental vs. personal benefit) and information type (objective vs. subjective) on tourists’ behavioral intentions through two online experiments. Study 1 demonstrates the positive impact of environmental benefit message appeals on behavioral intentions toward destinations, both directly and indirectly, by enhancing destination brand quality and perceived green value. Study 2 validates these findings and extends the analysis to include click-through behavior as a proxy for real behavior. Our research emphasizes the importance of environmental benefits alongside objective information in destinations’ sustainability messages within social media advertisements. This approach serves to bolster destination brand quality, perceived green value, and ultimately, positive behavioral intentions.
KW - destination brand quality
KW - environmental benefits
KW - objective information
KW - perceived green value
KW - sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105000822765&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/00472875241257271
DO - 10.1177/00472875241257271
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105000822765
SN - 0047-2875
JO - Journal of Travel Research
JF - Journal of Travel Research
ER -