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How Cartoon-Style Illustrations Influence Travel Intentions

Di Ning et al.

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research2026https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480261432626article
AJG 2ABDC A
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Cartoon-style illustration destination advertisements have become widely used in tourism marketing. However, there is limited research on when and why such advertisements enhance travel intentions for different types of destinations. Drawing on construal level theory and dual process theory, this study indicates that aligning cartoon-style illustration (vs. photograph) advertisements with hedonic (vs. utilitarian) destinations increases tourists’ preferences by activating affective (vs. cognitive) processing. The study further suggests that these effects are intensified when the advertising language is abstract. A series of four studies, comprising a field experiment and three laboratory experiments, provide convergent evidence supporting these hypotheses. These findings not only enrich the literature on print and destination advertising but also offer practical guidance for travel agencies on effectively utilizing cartoon-style illustration advertisements.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480261432626

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@article{di2026,
  title        = {{How Cartoon-Style Illustrations Influence Travel Intentions}},
  author       = {Di Ning et al.},
  journal      = {Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480261432626},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.