This research examines how visual similarity between Domestic Dupe Attractions (DDAs) and Famous Foreign Attractions (FFAs) shapes tourists’ mental imagery and travel intentions. Across three experiments, results demonstrate that higher DDA–FFA visual similarity enhances mental imagery and increases tourists’ intentions to visit DDAs. Mental imagery mediates this relationship, revealing how visual cues influence expectancy formation and motivational engagement. Moreover, FFA brand awareness negatively moderates these effects: when awareness is low, visual similarity exerts a stronger positive impact on both mental imagery and travel intention. Drawing on expectancy–value and cognitive dissonance theories, this study integrates visual similarity, mental imagery, and brand awareness perspectives to explain tourists’ responses to dupe attractions. The findings advance theoretical understanding of visual persuasion in tourism marketing and offer practical insights for promoting lesser-known destinations through sustainable, visually driven communication strategies.
AakerDA (1991) The value of brand equity. Journal of Business Strategy13(4): 27–32.
2.
Alsina-JurnetIGutiérrez-MaldonadoJ (2010) Influence of personality and individual abilities on the sense of presence experienced in anxiety triggering virtual environments. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies68(10): 788–801.
3.
BabinLABurnsAC (1997) Effects of print ad pictures and copy containing instructions to imagine on mental imagery that mediates attitudes. Journal of Advertising26(3): 33–44.
4.
BalogluSBrinbergD (1997) Affective images of tourism destinations. Journal of Travel Research35(4): 11–15.
5.
BalogluSMcClearyKW (1999) A model of destination image formation. Annals of Tourism Research26(4): 868–897.
6.
BaoYF (2009) A study on seniors’ travel motivation in Hangzhou based on “push-pull” theory. Tourism Tribune24(11): 47–52.
7.
BarsalouLW (2008) Grounded cognition. Annual Review of Psychology59(1): 617–645.
BernhardBDuccioC (2019) Copysites: tourist attractions in the age of their architectural reproducibility. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change17(1): 13–26.
11.
BogicevicVSeoSKandampullyJA, et al. (2019) Virtual reality presence as a preamble of tourism experience: the role of mental imagery. Tourism Management74: 55–64.
12.
BonePFEllenPS (1992) Generation and consequences of communication evoked imagery. Journal of Consumer Research19(1): 93–104.
13.
BoskerB (2013) Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. http://10.4000/chinaperspectives.6337
14.
CardosoLDiasFde AraújoAF, et al. (2019) A destination imagery processing model: structural differences between dream and favourite destinations. Annals of Tourism Research74: 81–94.
15.
ChaulagainSWiitalaJFuX (2019) The impact of country image and destination image on US tourists’ travel intention. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management12: 1–11.
16.
ChuSCDengTChengH (2020) The role of social media advertising in hospitality, tourism and travel: a literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management32(11): 3419–3438.
17.
DedeoğluBBVan NiekerkMKüçükerginKG, et al. (2020) Effect of social media sharing on destination brand awareness and destination quality. Journal of Vacation Marketing26(1): 33–56.
18.
DollJAjzenI (2014) Expectancy value model. The International Encyclopedia of Communication: 1–5. 10.1002/9781405186407.wbiece051.pub2.
19.
DolnicarS (2008) Market segmentation in tourism. In: WoodsideAMartinD (eds) In Tourism Management, Analysis, Behavior and Strategy. Cambridge, UK: CABI, 129–150. http://10.1079/9781845933234.0129
ElliottD (1973) Diffusion flow laws in metamorphic rocks. Geological Society of America Bulletin84(8): 2645–2664.
25.
ErgünGKeleşHTaspinarB, et al. (2022) The moderator role of culture in the relationship between destination brand equity and travel intention. Journal of Tourism and Services13(24): 256–271.
26.
EscalasJE (2004) Imagine yourself in the product: mental simulation, narrative transportation, and persuasion. Journal Of Advertising33(2): 37–48.
27.
FaulFErdfelderELangAG, et al. (2007) G*power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods39(2): 175–191.
28.
FestingerL (1954) A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations7(2): 117–140.
29.
FishbeinMAjzenI (1975) Belief, attitude, intention and behaviour: An introduction to theory and research. MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. http://https://doi.org/10.2307/2065853
30.
GarcesEAgarwalaAGutierrezD, et al. (2014) A similarity measure for illustration style. ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG)33(4): 1–9.
31.
GarcíaJAGómezMMolinaA (2012) A destination-branding model: an empirical analysis based on stakeholders. Tourism Management33(3): 646–661.
32.
GarridoSSchubertE (2011) Individual differences in the enjoyment of negative emotion in music: a literature review and experiment. Music Perception28(3): 279–296.
33.
GoossensCF (1995) External information search: effects of tour brochures with experiential information. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing3(3): 89–107.
34.
Gravari-BarbasM (2019) What makes Paris being Paris? Stereotypes, simulacra and tourism imaginaries. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change17(1): 27–41.
35.
GreenMCStrangeJJBrockTC (2003) Narrative Impact: Social and Cognitive Foundations. New York: Psychology Press. http://https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410606648
36.
HayesAF (2013) Mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis. In: Introduction To Mediation, Moderation, And Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach. 2nd ed. New York, NY: The Guilford Press, 83–416. 10.1111/jedm.12050
37.
HayesAF (2018) Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis, 2ndNew York: The Guilford Press.
38.
HirschmanECHolbrookMB (1982) Hedonic consumption: emerging concepts, methods and propositions. Journal of Marketing46(3): 92–101.
39.
HoyerWDBrownSP (1990) Effects of brand awareness on choice for a common, repeat-purchase product. Journal of Consumer Research17(2): 141–148.
40.
HsuYHHuangKCHungKP (2023) An overseas experience without traveling abroad. The effect of visual similarity on travel intention. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research28(1): 1–18.
41.
HunterWC (2008) A typology of photographic representations for tourism: depictions of groomed spaces. Tourism Management29(2): 354–365.
42.
JagoLChalipLBrownG, et al. (2003) Building events into destination branding: insights from experts. Event Management8(1): 3–14.
43.
JangJMShinS (2019) Content order in advertising and thinking styles: a cross-cultural study of the United States and South Korea. Journal of Advertising48(5): 457–472.
44.
JinSLiJLiY, et al. (2023) Space roaming and imagination production: mediating construction of internet-celebrity cities in online pictures. Journalism & Communication30(05): 53–74.
45.
JonesTEYamamotoK (2016) Segment-based monitoring of domestic and international climbers at Mount Fuji: targeted risk reduction strategies for existing and emerging visitor segments. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism13: 10–17.
46.
KarlM (2018) Risk and uncertainty in travel decision-making: tourist and destination perspective. Journal of Travel Research57(1): 129–146.
47.
KimHRichardsonSL (2003) Motion picture impacts on destination images. Annals of Tourism Research30(1): 216–237.
48.
KimJKimS (Sam), JhangJ, et al. (2023) Experimental design studies in hospitality and tourism research: constructive recommendations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management35(10): 3570–3591.
49.
KladouSKehagiasJ (2014) Assessing destination brand equity: an integrated approach. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management3(1): 2–10.
50.
KonecnikMGartnerWC (2007) Customer-based brand equity for a destination. Annals of Tourism Research34(2): 400–421.
51.
KumagaiK (2021) Sustainable plastic clothing and brand luxury: a discussion of contradictory consumer behaviour. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics33(4): 994–1013.
52.
LabrooAADharRSchwarzN (2008) Of frog wines and frowning watches: semantic priming, perceptual fluency, and brand evaluation. Journal of Consumer Research34(6): 819–831.
53.
LaoAVladMMartinA (2021) Exploring how digital kiosk customer experience enhances shopping value, self-mental imagery and behavioral responses. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management49(7): 817–845.
LemmetyinenADimitrovskiDNieminenL, et al. (2016) Cruise destination brand awareness as a moderator in motivation-satisfaction relation. Tourism Review71(4): 245–258.
57.
LimYChungYWeaverPA (2012) The impact of social media on destination branding: consumer-generated videos versus destination marketer-generated videos. Journal of Vacation Marketing18(3): 197–206.
58.
LinCHMoraisDBKerstetterDL, et al. (2007) Examining the role of cognitive and affective image in predicting choice across natural, developed, and theme-park destinations. Journal of Travel Research46(2): 183–194.
59.
LodaMD (2011) Comparing web sites: an experiment in online tourism marketing. International Journal of Business and Social Science2(22): 70–78.
60.
LoureiroSMCRoschkHAliF, et al. (2022) Cognitive image, mental imagery, and responses (CI-MI-R): mediation and moderation effects. Journal of Travel Research61(4): 903–920.
61.
LuLChiCGLiuY (2015) Authenticity, involvement, and image: evaluating tourist experiences at historic districts. Tourism Management50: 85–96.
62.
LynchJG (1999) Theory and external validity. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science27(3): 367–376.
63.
MacInnisDJJaworskiBJ (1989) Information processing from advertisements: toward an integrative framework. Journal of Marketing53(4): 1–23.
64.
MaoIYZhangHQ (2014) Structural relationships among destination preference, satisfaction and loyalty in Chinese tourists to Australia. International Journal of Tourism Research16(2): 201–208.
65.
MarlowJDabbishL (2014) When is a picture not worth a thousand words? The psychological effects of mediated exposure to a remote location. Computers in Human Behavior30: 824–831.
66.
MartensonR (2018) Curiosity motivated vacation destination choice in a reward and variety-seeking perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services41: 70–78.
67.
McGillALAnandP (1989) The effect of imagery on information processing strategy in a multi-attribute choice task. Marketing Letters1(1): 7–16.
68.
MehrabianARussellJA (1974) An Approach to Environmental Psychology. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
69.
MillerDWStoicaM (2004) Comparing the effects of a photograph versus artistic renditions of a beach scene in a direct-response print ad for a Caribbean resort island: a mental imagery perspective. Journal of Vacation Marketing10(1): 11–21.
70.
MokAMorrisMW (2009) Cultural chameleons and iconoclasts: assimilation and reactance to cultural cues in biculturals’ expressed personalities as a function of identity conflict. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology45(4): 884–889.
71.
MolinaAEstebanA (2006) Tourism brochures: usefulness and image. Annals of Tourism Research33(4): 1036–1056.
72.
MolinilloSLiébana-CabanillasFAnaya-SánchezR, et al. (2018) DMO Online platforms: image and intention to visit. Tourism Management65: 116–130.
73.
MunarAMJacobsenJKS (2013) Trust and involvement in tourism social media and web-based travel information sources. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism13(1): 1–19.
74.
NguyenTDNguyenTTBarrettNJ (2008) Consumer ethnocentrism, cultural sensitivity, and intention to purchase local products—evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Consumer Behaviour: An International Research Review7(1): 88–100.
75.
NicolauJLBignéEBulchand-GidumalJ, et al. (2025) From booking to rating activities: a holistic analysis of online review behavior in a destination. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management36: 100995.
76.
NunnallyJC (1978) An overview of psychological measurement. In: WolmanBB (eds) Clinical Diagnosis of Mental Disorders. Boston, MA: Springer, 97–146. 10.1007/978-1-4684-2490-4_4
PaivioA (1990) Mental Representations: A Dual Coding Approach. New York: Oxford University Press. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195066661.001.0001
80.
ParkEChoiBKLeeTJ (2019) The role and dimensions of authenticity in heritage tourism. Tourism Management74: 99–109.
81.
PetrovaPKCialdiniRB (2005) Fluency of consumption imagery and the backfire effects of imagery appeals. Journal of Consumer Research32(3): 442–452.
82.
PhauITeahM (2009) Devil wears (counterfeit) Prada: a study of antecedents and outcomes of attitudes towards counterfeits of luxury brands. Journal of Consumer Marketing26(1): 15–27.
83.
PikeS (2009) Destination brand positions of a competitive set of near-home destinations. Tourism Management30(6): 857–866.
84.
PikeSBianchiCKerrG, et al. (2010) Consumer-based brand equity for Australia as a long-haul tourism destination in an emerging market. International Marketing Review27(4): 434–449.
85.
PikeSRyanC (2004) Destination positioning analysis through a comparison of cognitive, affective, and conative perceptions. Journal of Travel Research42(4): 333–342.
86.
ReberRSchwarzNWinkielmanP (2004) Processing fluency and aesthetic pleasure: is beauty in the perceiver’s processing experience?Personality and Social Psychology Review8(4): 364–382.
87.
ShadishWRCookTDCampbellDT (2002) Experimental And Quasi-Experimental Designs For Generalized Causal Inference. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 10.1086/345281
88.
ShangDWuW (2017) Understanding mobile shopping consumers’ continuance intention. Industrial Management & Data Systems117(1): 213–227.
89.
ShenYCBeiLTChuCH (2011) Consumer evaluations of brand extension: the roles of case-based reminding on brand-to-brand similarity. Psychology & Marketing28(1): 91–113.
90.
SherifMHovlandCI (1961) Social Judgment: Assimilation And Contrast Effects In Communication And Attitude Change. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
91.
SkardSKnudsenESSjåstadH, et al. (2021) How virtual reality influences travel intentions: the role of mental imagery and happiness forecasting. Tourism Management87: 104360.
SparksBAWangY (2014) Natural and built photographic images: preference, complexity, and recall. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing31(7): 868–883.
94.
StepchenkovaSZhanF (2013) Visual destination images of Peru: comparative content analysis of DMO and user-generated photography. Tourism Management36: 590–601.
95.
StylosNVassiliadisCABellouV, et al. (2016) Destination images, holistic images and personal normative beliefs: predictors of intention to revisit a destination. Tourism Management53: 40–60.
96.
SunW (2020) I photograph, therefore I am, we card-punch, therefore the city is— short video: the mass image practices of cyber cities. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication42(6): 6–22
97.
SwarbrookeJ (2001) Key challenges for visitor attraction managers in the UK. Journal of Leisure Property1(4): 318–336.
98.
SwarbrookeJ (2002) The Development and Management of Visitor Attractions. Butterworth Heinemann: Oxford. 10.4324/9780080494500
TasciADFyallADFuX (2021) Social representations of space travel: modeling the antecedents and outcomes. International Journal of Tourism Research23(4): 611–635.
101.
TasciADAGartnerWC (2007) Destination image and its functional relationships. Journal of Travel Research45(4): 413–425.
102.
TormalaZLPettyRE (2004) Source credibility and attitude certainty: a metacognitive analysis of resistance to persuasion. Journal of Consumer Psychology14(4): 427–442.
103.
TranVTNguyenNPTranPTK, et al. (2019) Brand equity in a tourism destination: a case study of domestic tourists in Hoi an city, Vietnam. Tourism Review74(3): 704–720.
Van HorenFPietersR (2012) When high-similarity copycats lose and moderate-similarity copycats gain: the role of comparative evaluation. Journal of Marketing Research49(1): 83–91.
106.
VaughnLAChildsKEMaschinskiC, et al. (2010) Regulatory fit, processing fluency, and narrative persuasion. Social and Personality Psychology Compass4(12): 1181–1192.
107.
VigliaGDolnicarS (2020) A review of experiments in tourism and hospitality. Annals of Tourism Research80: 102858.
108.
VisentinMTuanA (2021) Book belly band as a visual cue: assessing its impact on consumers’ in-store responses. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services59: 102359.
109.
VroomVH (1964) Work and Motivation. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
110.
WaltersGSparksBHeringtonC (2007) The effectiveness of print advertising stimuli in evoking elaborate consumption visions for potential travellers. Journal of Travel Research46(1): 24–34.
111.
WitmerBGSingerMJ (1998) Measuring presence in virtual environments: a presence questionnaire. Presence7(3): 225–240.
112.
WuSIHoLP (2014) The influence of perceived innovation and brand awareness on purchase intention of innovation product—an example of iPhone. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management11(04): 1–22.
113.
XieJChenS (2024) The “folded” place: the media logic of producing “pingti” tourist attractions and its social impact. Tourism Tribune39(8): 40–52.
114.
XuXALiuJCaiR (2022) How do customers navigate perceived inappropriateness of collective emotion in group service recovery? An application of cognitive dissonance theory. Tourism Management93: 104615. http://10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104615
115.
YangFXLauVMC (2019) Experiential learning for children at world heritage sites: the joint moderating effect of brand awareness and generation of Chinese family travelers. Tourism Management72: 1–11.
116.
YeQLawRGuB (2009) The impact of online user reviews on hotel room sales. International Journal of Hospitality Management28(1): 180–182.
117.
YimMYCKimYKLeeJ (2021) How to easily facilitate consumers’ mental simulation through advertising: the effectiveness of self-referencing image dynamics on purchase intention. International Journal of Advertising40(5): 810–834.
118.
YinRK (2014) Case Study Research: Design and Methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 10.3138/CJPE.30.1.108
119.
YousafSFanX (2020) Copysites/ duplitectures as tourist attractions: an exploratory study on experiences of Chinese tourists at replicas of foreign architectural landmarks in China. Tourism Management81: 104179.
120.
ZhangYShrumLJ (2009) The influence of self-construal on impulsive consumption. Journal of Consumer Research35(5): 838–850.
121.
ZhaoMHoefflerSZaubermanG (2011) Mental simulation and product evaluation: the affective and cognitive dimensions of process versus outcome simulation. Journal of Marketing Research48(5): 827–839.
122.
ZhengL (2010) The impact of narrative focus, vividness of product depiction, mental imagery ability, and need for cognition on transportation in narrative advertising. Doctoral dissertation. University of Alabama Libraries.
