Examining the Role of User-Generated Travel Videos as a Destination Promoter
Creators: name: Li, Wenliang (Max)
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2025
Subjects: Destination marketing
User-generated travel video

description: In recent years, user-generated travel videos (UGTVs) have surged in popularity on social
description: media platforms, emerging as an influential information source for prospective tourists in
description: planning their trips. Despite their growing prominence, academic research on UGTVs
description: remains limited. To advance the research frontier in this field, this thesis conducted a
description: comprehensive investigation comprising three empirical studies that collectively provide a
description: holistic perspective on UGTVs’ potential to enhance destination promotion.
description: As the saying goes, “content is king”. Storytelling serves as a key driver of UGTVs’
description: promotional effectiveness. However, little is currently understood about its fundamental
description: elements and its influence on audiences’ travel decision-making. Studies 1 and 2 aimed to
description: address this knowledge gap. Using food travel vlogs, a genre of UGTVs characterised by
description: engaging storytelling, as their research context, these studies conducted semi-structured,
description: in-depth interviews with 22 food travel vloggers and 21 audience members who frequently
description: engage with this type of content. The qualitative investigations sought to uncover the key
description: storytelling elements of travel vlogs and examine audiences’ viewing experiences when
description: engaging with such content. Based on these qualitative findings, two questionnaire surveys
description: were subsequently conducted to perform exploratory factor analysis (n=314) and
description: confirmatory composite analysis (n=544) using representative samples of the UK national
description: population.
description: Consequently, Study 1 developed and validated a 29-item measurement scale comprising
description: eight factors for measuring storytelling in travel vlogs. This scale was tested within the
description: framework of the Stimulus-Response theory, demonstrating its effectiveness in predicting
description: audiences’ perceived destination image and their intention to visit the destination. With the
description: support of the Stimulus-Organism-Response model and cognitive appraisal theory, Study 2
description: developed and validated an integrated model to explain how storytelling in travel vlogs
description: influences audiences’ travel decision-making through happiness. These two studies highlight
description: the critical role of storytelling in enhancing UGTVs’ effectiveness in promoting destination
description: image and encouraging travel. They also emphasise the importance of destination marketing
description: organisations (DMOs) collaborating with UGTV creators who excel in storytelling.
description: Despite the growing influence of UGTVs, many DMOs remain uncertain about whether and
description: how to collaborate with UGTV creators to jointly promote destination brands. Study 3
description: conducted interviews with 19 managers from DMOs who had initiated DMO-UGTV creator
description: collaborations to explore their perceptions of the relationship between DMOs and UGTV
description: creators, as well as the practical implementation of such collaborations. Insights from food
description: travel vloggers interviewed during Studies 1 and 2, who also shared their views on
description: collaborations with DMOs, were integrated into Study 3. Ultimately, this study identified a
description: complementary relationship between DMOs and UGTV creators and provided practical
description: recommendations for the effective implementation of DMO-UGTV creator collaborations in
description: destination brand co-creation.
description: This thesis contributes valuable real-world implications. For DMOs, the findings emphasise
description: the importance of storytelling in enhancing the promotional impact of UGTVs. DMOs may
description: prioritise collaborations with creators who excel in storytelling—using the developed
description: measurement scale as a “compass” to identify outstanding storytellers—and offer support
description: throughout their content production process. The research also presents specific strategic
description: recommendations for fostering mutually beneficial collaborations between DMOs and UGTV
description: creators to strengthen destination branding. For UGTV creators, the scale can serve as a
description: comprehensive toolkit for refining their storytelling skills, while the findings inform them of
description: the critical roles of perceived authenticity, intimacy, presence, and happiness in influencing
description: audience behaviour. As DMOs increasingly recognise the value of UGTV creators, creators
description: may seize opportunities to collaborate with DMOs to enhance their career development.