How Review Valence Shapes Visit Intention: Affective Commitment and Destination Reputation

Yagang Zhao, Binli Tang (), Xiaojie Yang () and Jeroen Nawijn
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Yagang Zhao: Business School, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Binli Tang: College of Tourism, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Xiaojie Yang: School of Tourism and Urban-Rural Planning, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Jeroen Nawijn: Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport, Breda University of Applied Sciences, 4817 JS Breda, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: In the era of social media, online reviews have become a crucial factor influencing the exposure of tourist destinations and the decision-making of potential tourists, exerting a profound impact on the sustainable development of these destinations. However, the influence of review valence on visit intention, especially the role of affective commitment and reputation (ability vs. responsibility), remains unclear. Drawing on emotion as a social information theory, this paper aims to elucidate the direct impact of different review valences on tourists’ visit intentions, as well as mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. Three experiments indicate that positive (vs. negative) reviews can activate stronger affective commitment and visit intention, with affective commitment also playing a mediating role. Additionally, destination reputation significantly moderates the after-effects of review valences. More specifically, a responsibility reputation (compared with an ability reputation) weakens the effect of negative valence on affective commitment and visit intention. This study provides valuable theoretical insights into how emotional elements in online reviews influence the emotions and attitudes of potential tourists. Particularly for tourism managers, review valence and responsibility reputation hold practical significance in destination marketing.

Keywords: review valence; affective commitment; visit intention; destination reputation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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