How Do Voice Characteristics Affect Tourism Interpretation Purchases? An Empirical Study Based on Voice Mining

Abstract

This study investigates how voice characteristics (i.e., speech rate, loudness, pitch) affect interpretation purchases in digital interpretation platforms through the lenses of signaling theory and nonverbal communication. Based on auditory and transactional data from a leading digital interpretation platform in China, this study uses voice mining techniques to extract voice characteristics and examine their effects on interpretation purchases. Findings demonstrate the significant positive effects of speech rate and the significant inverted U-effects of loudness and pitch on interpretation purchases. This study thus extends tourism interpretation research focused on traditional forms to digital interpretation platforms and provides empirical evidence that nonverbal signals (voice characteristics) matter in tourism interpretation purchases. Findings also offer practical implications for tourism interpretation innovation and platform operation.