Viral tourism destination recommendation: Experience economy and perceived value

Abstract

With the deep penetration of social media, tourists’ recommendations have become a key driver enabling niche or nonmainstream destinations to achieve viral popularity. This study develops an integrated framework incorporating tourism experiences (entertainment, educational, escapist, and esthetic), perceived value (emotional, functional, and social), and destination image to explain viral tourism destinations recommendation intention. The results indicate that tourism experiences influence perceived value through multiple pathways, and all value dimensions positively predict recommendation intention, with emotional value exerting the strongest effect. Destination image strengthens the effects of emotional and functional value while weakening the role of social value. This study conceptually defines “viral tourism,” extends the applicability of Experience Economy and Perceived Value theories in explaining tourists’ recommendation intention in viral tourism contexts, and reveals the psychological mechanism underlying emotion-driven recommendations, offering insights for targeted communication and experience design to promote the viral diffusion of marginalized destinations.