Cognitive Absorption during Interaction with Short-Form Travel Videos and Its Influence on Users' Intentions to Travel

Short-form travel videos are gaining more attention from marketers and advertisers for their destination marketing effectiveness and value. However, few studies have explored how short-form travel videos influence people's destination visit intention in detail. On the other hand, in existing research on cognitive absorption, the exploration of the relationships between the internal sub-constructs of cognitive absorption remains in its early stages. This study aims to apply cognitive absorption theory to the context of short-form videos and destination research, attempting to explain the impact of short-form videos on users' intentions to visit destinations from the perspective of the deep engagement experienced by users during audiovisual interaction. Focusing on Chinese short-form video users, this study, through empirical research, reveals the path through which users' cognitive absorption experiences while watching short videos influence their travel-related behavioral intentions. Additionally, the study uncovers the internal hierarchical structure of cognitive absorption. These findings provide theoretical insights and practical implications for understanding user engagement and its impact on travel behavior.