From attention to sharing: rethinking AIDA in short-video narratives

Purpose Given the rapid rise in individual engagement with short video narratives, this medium has emerged as a powerful communication tool capable of shaping viewers’ perceptions and behaviours. Recognising the need to understand the relationship between short video narratives and the travel decision-making process, this study examined this relationship within the tourism and hospitality domain. To achieve this, the research complemented the AIDA (attention-interest-desire-action) model with sharing, resharing and real-world video, offering a comprehensive explanation of how exposure to short video narratives can influence travel-related intentions and actions. Design/methodology/approach To gather empirical insights, an online survey was conducted among short video audiences, and data from 336 respondents were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Findings The result showed that short video narratives significantly lead to interest in the destination, desire for the destination, viewer intention to visit, sharing and resharing behaviours. The analysis also showed that short video narrative has a significant impact on viewer intention to visit. Further, real-world video exerted a significant impact on viewer intention to visit and strengthened the relationship between short video narratives and viewer intention to visit. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its cross-sectional design; future research might adopt a longitudinal approach and test the model sequentially across diverse demographic groups. Originality/value This study is one of the first attempts to blend short video narratives, the AIDA model, real-world video and share and reshare intentions in understanding tourism and hospitality marketing. This provides a strong theoretical and practical contribution to the rarely neglected area. Hence, destination marketers and managers could leverage sharing and resharing intentions to promote destinations.