Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2025-11
Can Smart Mobile Applications Attract Travellers? Exploring Catenation Between Digital Tourism Entrepreneurs’ Use of Artificial Intelligence Generative Chatbots for Interactive Marketing Communication and Virtual Reality
Tourism entrepreneurs are keen on embracing digital media marketing and utilising information technology opportunities, such as generative AI chatbots and virtual reality, on their digital platforms (e.g., mobile applications). The impact of artificial intelligence–generated marketing communication activities coupled with virtual reality and their applications within digital tourism platforms remains unknown. Hence, this study seeks to understand the impact of digital tourism entrepreneurs’ digital media marketing communication activities on mobile applications. This research used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data from 496 prospective foreign travellers. The PLS-SEM results revealed that the destination brand equity directly influenced the destination’s intention. Furthermore, this study has validated the integrated marketing communication framework, demonstrating that the tactical use of advanced marketing communication technologies can enhance destination brand equity by improving destination branding elements. The study presents novel findings in the context of digital tourism entrepreneurship activities. It provides a comprehensive understanding of this rarely studied phenomenon, offering guidelines for entrepreneurs in the tourism industry policymakers, investors and technology developers on incorporating information technology features such as artificial intelligence, generative chatbots and virtual reality to promote destinations.
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