Beyond AIDA: evaluating Taiwan's international tourism marketing through an extended AIDA framework with CDJ-inspired evaluative mechanisms – a cross-cultural Asia-Pacific perspective

Purpose This study develops and validates an extended Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) framework by incorporating evaluative mechanisms inspired by the Consumer Decision Journey (CDJ). It examines how destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and user-generated content (UGC) shape tourists' decision-making across different cultural markets. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 1,193 prospective international tourists across five source markets: China, Japan, Hong Kong, the USA, and Europe. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed framework. Multi-group analysis was then conducted to examine cultural moderation effects. Findings The results support the proposed extended AIDA framework. DMO content primarily contributes to the early-stage attention and interest. UGC plays a stronger role in shaping destination image during the evaluative stage. Collectivistic tourists rely more heavily on official DMO content, whereas individualistic tourists are more influenced by peer-generated UGC. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal claims. Future research should replicate the model across different destinations and use longitudinal designs to track decision-making over time. Practical implications DMOs should adopt a dual-track content strategy. Official content can support early-stage engagement, while UGC can enhance credibility during evaluative stages. Resource allocation should also be adapted to specific cultural markets. Social implications This study highlights the social role of digital tourism information in shaping trust, credibility, and cross-cultural understanding in destination decision-making. The findings suggest that tourists from different cultural backgrounds rely on different information sources when evaluating destinations. By balancing official DMO content with credible user-generated content, destination marketers and tourism platforms can promote more transparent, culturally responsive, and trustworthy information environments for prospective international tourists. Originality/value This study extends the AIDA model by incorporating CDJ-inspired evaluative mechanisms. It distinguishes the stage-specific roles of DMO content and UGC. It also provides cross-cultural evidence from five major source markets.