Whether authenticity matters for virtual cultural ambassadors: Understanding the effect of perceived authenticity on residents’ tourism support

Abstract

Virtual cultural ambassadors (VCAs) have become significant in destination branding and tourism marketing. This study explores how the perceived authenticity of VCA enhances residents’ support for tourism. The current study assesses a conceptual model including the relationships between perceived objective authenticity, perceived constructive authenticity, wishful identification, emotional solidarity, local pride, and tourism support. Data were collected from 773 residents across three Chinese cities. An online survey was used for data collection, and structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the relationships within the framework. The results reveal that objective and constructive authenticity positively influence tourism support directly and indirectly through wishful identification and emotional solidarity. Objective authenticity impacts sympathetic understanding and welcoming nature, while constructive authenticity affects all three dimensions of emotional solidarity: sympathetic understanding, welcoming nature, and emotional closeness. Local pride significantly moderates the relationship between constructive authenticity and emotional solidarity, particularly enhancing emotional closeness and sympathetic understanding. This study contributes to the literature by extending authenticity and emotional solidarity theories to technology-mediated contexts, offering new insights into how virtual cultural ambassadors can foster resident identification, emotional connection, and sustainable destination support.