Factors Affecting Tourist Visit Intention and The Mediated Role of Attitude Towards Short Videos in Jiangxi Province, China

Abstract

As information technology rapidly advances and becomes increasingly digitalized, short video platforms have emerged as vital instruments for marketing tourist destinations, significantly influencing visitors' perceptions and decision-making processes. This study analyses the ways in which short video content affects visitors' intentions to visit tourism locations in Jiangxi Province. It also examines how tourists' impressions of short videos serve a mediation role in this process. The study formulates a theoretical model comprising four dimensions—perceived trustworthiness, perceived delight, perceived utility, and perceived ease of use—to assess their influence on visitors' visiting intentions. This paradigm is based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory, the Technology Acceptance paradigm (TAM), and the Source Credibility Theory. The study employed a quantitative research methodology, utilizing structured questionnaire surveys to gather extensive data from potential tourists, subsequently analysed by structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings indicate that factors associated with short video content significantly and directly influence travelers' intentions to visit, with travelers' opinions towards short films serving as a crucial mediating factor in this relationship. Positive attitudes towards short films are significantly amplified by perceived utility and reliability, thereby elevating tourists' intentions to come. The emotional connection of tourists is fostered by perceived delight, which then promotes the formation of visitation intentions. The perceived ease of use enhances interest and intentions to visit by facilitating the acquisition and comprehension of information. The research highlights the significant role of tourists' perceptions in mediating the relationship between visit intentions and the qualities of short video content. This research indicates that a positive mindset enhances visitor intentions and intensifies the impact of short video content characteristics. The study recommends that destination administrators and marketers focus on improving the authenticity, enjoyment, practicality, and functionality of short video content to effectively capture tourists' attention and promote travel. This study provides theoretical and practical guidance for the future use of short films in tourism promotion, together with empirical evidence to support the marketing strategies of Jiangxi Province's tourist attractions. This study offers effective strategies to enhance the competitiveness of tourism destinations in the digital age by elucidating the complex relationship between short video content features and tourists' propensity to visit.