Tourism live streamers as brand ambassadors: investigating their impact on destination brand value through social exchange theory

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to identify the key characteristics of tourism live streamers (TLSers) that influence target consumers and examine how these characteristics enhance destination brand value by stimulating consumer emotional engagement and value co-creation behaviors. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was conducted with 552 respondents who had viewed tourism live streaming in China. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The results revealed that TLSers’ expertise had the strongest influence on consumers and positively affected their attachment, trust, participation and citizenship behaviors and perceived destination brand value. Attractiveness and trustworthiness exerted positive but weaker effects on these variables. Originality/value This study contributes to the theoretical development of live-streaming research by demonstrating the distinct impacts of TLSer characteristics. Furthermore, this study expands the application of the social exchange theory and value co-creation in tourism research.