From Screens to Sustainable Journeys: Rural OTT Narratives,Smart Tourism Ecosystems,and Gen Z Travel Behaviour

Abstract

This study examines how rural narratives on over the top (OTT) streaming platforms influence Gen Z’s travel intentions, positioning digital storytelling as an emerging tool for smart and sustainable tourism. While media induced tourism has been widely explored in the context of film and television, the potential of long-form OTT content remains under researched. Using a mixed-method design, the analysis integrates survey data from 474 respondents with AI-enabled sentiment mining of 26,297 user reviews from YouTube, IMDb, MouthShut, and Google Reviews for Panchayat and Laapataa Ladies. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) within the Stimulus Organism Response framework demonstrates that content rurality stimulates curiosity, drives heightened search behaviour, and significantly strengthens rural travel intention. Findings confirm strong audience appreciation for authenticity and cultural rootedness. The study advances theory, methodology, and practice by showing how OTT narratives can foster inclusive rural development, reduce inequalities, build sustainable communities, encourage responsible tourism, and enable multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Keywords

sustainable tourism smart tourism over the top rural narratives content rurality

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