Seeing through different lenses: comparing firm-generated and user-generated photos aesthetics in wine tourism

Purpose The study aims to examine how firm- and user-generated photograph aesthetics influence wine tourists’ attitudes, perceived credibility and visit intentions, with reliance on online reviews, visitor involvement and risk-taking propensity tested as moderators. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 703 US participants via an online survey with an embedded experiment, randomly assigning participants to view firm-generated or user-generated winery photos. Findings Photograph aesthetics positively impact perceived credibility, visitor attitudes and visit intentions. No significant moderation effects were found, but differences between firm- and user-generated aesthetics were observed. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to online marketing, photo aesthetics and behavioral models in wine tourism. It highlights how content type (firm- vs user-generated) influences tourists’ visit intentions and challenges assumptions about user-generated content’s superiority. It explores photo aesthetics’ role in source credibility and validates the stimulus-organism-response model. The study also examines contextual cues and individual characteristics as moderators. Limitations include industry-specific findings, cultural homogeneity and limited exploration of review sentiment and information quantity. Practical implications Winery managers can benefit by incentivizing visitors to share photos on social media, fostering brand cocreation and credibility. Analyzing user-generated content helps identify areas for improvement. While firm-generated content positively impacts decision-making, smaller wineries should enhance visibility by sharing professional photos on platforms like Google. High-quality images showcasing facilities, services and experiences help potential visitors visualize their trip. Since customers may not always trust reviews, educating them on identifying credible ones can improve decision-making. Overall, a strategic mix of user- and firm-generated content enhances winery marketing, visitor engagement and brand perception. Social implications Winery managers can benefit by incentivizing visitors to share photos on social media, fostering brand cocreation and credibility. Analyzing user-generated content helps identify areas for improvement. While firm-generated content positively impacts decision-making, smaller wineries should enhance visibility by sharing professional photos on platforms like Google. High-quality images showcasing facilities, services and experiences help potential visitors visualize their trip. Since customers may not always trust reviews, educating them on identifying credible ones can improve decision-making. Overall, a strategic mix of user- and firm-generated content enhances winery marketing, visitor engagement and brand perception. Originality/value This work is original in investigating the impact of photograph aesthetics in the wine industry, filling a gap in research within wine tourism.