Stories are a powerful tool for enhancing tourism. However, the factors that contribute to effective destination storytelling are poorly understood. Hence, this study investigates how destination type and destination gender influence the destination story design. Four scenario-based experiments were conducted online, using various experimental stimuli. This study verified the matching effect between destination story type (factual vs. fictional), destination gender (feminine vs. masculine), and destination type (hedonic vs. utilitarian). Specifically, factual stories are more effective for masculine destinations, while fictional stories better suit feminine destinations. The results also indicate that fictional stories are more suitable for hedonic destinations, whereas factual stories are preferable for utilitarian ones. Additionally, the mediating effects of imagination proclivity and emotional arousal were examined. Overall, this study provides valuable practical insights into the design and promotion of tourist destinations.

中文翻译：

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有效的旅游目的地故事：故事类型与目的地类型的匹配效应


故事是促进旅游业发展的有力工具。然而，人们对有助于有效讲述目的地故事的因素却知之甚少。因此，本研究调查目的地类型和目的地性别如何影响目的地故事设计。使用各种实验刺激在线进行了四个基于场景的实验。本研究验证了目的地故事类型（事实与虚构）、目的地性别（女性与男性）和目的地类型（享乐与功利）之间的匹配效果。具体来说，事实故事对于男性目的地更有效，而虚构故事更适合女性目的地。研究结果还表明，虚构故事更适合享乐目的地，而事实故事更适合功利目的地。此外，还检查了想象力倾向和情绪唤醒的中介作用。总的来说，这项研究为旅游目的地的设计和推广提供了宝贵的实践见解。