The impact of TikTok short video factors on tourists’ behavioral intention among Generation Z and Millennials: The role of flow experience

Abstract

Tourism advertising and tourism promotion have over the years been the core functions of tourism departments and major tourist sites. In relation to the progressing development of new media, the mobile short-form videos, which are short, focused, and have an engaging content, appear to be a useful means of advertising tourist destinations. In the digital era, short videos have become a new communication tool between destinations and consumers. This current study, based on the S-O-R model and flow experience, investigated the psychological processes through which TikTok attributes and technology evoke flow and lead to tourists’ behavioral intention. Moreover, the TAM, i.e., PU and PEOU, as two technology factors, as well as three content attributes (entertainment, informativeness, and interactivity) were examined. The study utilized a quantitative approach and collected data from 412 respondents in China. The authors adopted the PLS-SEM method to confirm the directions hypothesized in this model. There are significant effects of PU, PEOU, and entertainment on flow experience (telepresence, time distortion, and focused attention). Interactivity impacts telepresence and time distortion, while informativeness impacts focused attention. Moreover, time distortion and focused attention impact tourists’ behavioral intention. The results highlight several limitations and offer implications for future research as well.