Which Factors Influence Word-of-Mouth for Tourism Video Ads?

Nowadays, the popularity of the Internet for advertising purposes and the increasing use of videos to entertain and captivate viewers is undeniable. Short videos have recently gained significant popularity and have great tourism marketing potential. Given the amount of information on the Internet and social media, it is necessary to make videos and advertisements that stand out. The narrative structure greatly influences the interpretation of the message in video advertising, mainly when storytelling techniques are utilised. This has a crucial impact on how viewers perceive and immerse in the information. This study presents a model that relates narrative structure, transportation, destination familiarity, and word-of-mouth. Using the PLS-SEM methodology, this model was tested using a sample of 916 participants with the SMART-PLS program. The results of the study show that the structure of the narrative and the level of familiarity with the destination featured in the promotional videos significantly influence narrative transportation. This, in turn, improves and promotes word-of-mouth communication. These results contribute to existing research on incorporating narratives into tourism videos and suggest that promotional videos can be a powerful marketing tool for destinations.