Beyond the screen: the impact of TV series on visit and purchase intentions

Purpose Drawing on parasocial relationship theory and the meaning transfer model, this study suggests and tests an original model that examines viewers’ intentions to visit a destination and purchase destination origin products, considering cultural proximity, celebrity involvement, enjoyment, country knowledge obtained via TV series and perceived product experience. Design/methodology/approach Turkish TV dramas were selected as the research context due to the increased global attention in the last decades. A field survey was conducted on foreign tourists in Türkiye. The research model was tested with PLS-SEM. Findings Cultural proximity is positively related to celebrity involvement and enjoyment, influencing country knowledge and the intention to purchase the country’s products. Celebrity involvement and country knowledge positively influence visit intentions. Moreover, the perceived product experience is positively related to purchase intentions. Practical implications TV dramas can significantly leverage international purchase intentions and promote destination-specific products in global markets, particularly with celebrity endorsements. Producers and marketers can strategically integrate cultural and local elements into TV dramas to enhance destination marketing strategies. Social implications TV dramas can deepen intercultural understanding by enhancing foreign viewers’ knowledge of the origin country’s culture, values, and lifestyle. By building emotional connections through media characters, countries can develop positive perceptions of each other and develop social affinities with one another, which can impact travel and consumption patterns. Originality/value This study shows the positive impact of TV series enjoyment on the country knowledge and perceived product experience regarding the origin country of TV dramas.