Examine entertainment media on tourists’ country image and destination image evaluations and visit intention

Due to the continuous changes in international circumstances and the complex nature of China-U.S. relations, the visitation of Chinese tourists to US has been decreased for the past several years. This study explores whether entertainment media could influence Chinese tourists’ perceptions and behaviors by constructing a framework through variables of media exposures, country image, destination image, and visit intention. 465 questionnaire data were collected online and analyzed using PLS-SEM through WarpPLS 8.0. software. The study results show that entertainment content from social media exposure influences visit intention positively. On the other hand, mass media has a negative effect on visit intentions. Notably, the research uncovers the bidirectionality between country image and destination image, highlighting the nuanced relationship between these constructs. This paper provides theoretical insights into the inter-relationships among media exposure, destination image, and visit intention. Despite the worsening of China-U.S. relations, entertainment media could still exert positive influences on Chinese tourists’ perceptions toward US as a nation and its destinations as well as exerting positive influences on their future visit intentions. Implications for managing media strategies and engaging in social media to boost tourism are discussed.