Sparking the desire to travel: the emotional appeal of screen tourism

Purpose Drawing on appraisal theory and symbolic interactionism, this study aims to understand how empathy and affective image influence viewers’ desire to visit destinations featured in television shows and explore how viewers interpret and construct meanings around these locations through emotional engagement with the content. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a mixed-methods approach using The O.C. as a research context. First, a survey was conducted with 220 participants who had watched The O.C. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Second, a netnography, which involved extracting 2,287 comments from the subreddit r/TheO.C., consolidated the results and provided a comprehensive understanding of how emotional responses drive travel desires. Findings The findings of this study reveal that empathy toward the characters from the TV show amplifies the affective image of the show’s setting, which significantly boosts viewers’ desire to travel to Newport Beach, California. By revealing the underlying emotional responses through appraisal theory and symbolic interactionism, this research highlights the powerful role TV shows play in shaping travel desires. Originality/value This research integrates appraisal theory with symbolic interactionism to provide new theoretical insights into the emotional responses elicited by film tourism. By examining how viewers’ emotional appraisals drive their travel desires and how they interpret filming locations, this study uncovers the nuanced impact of attributing meaning to specific screen elements.