From Virtual Journeys to Real Travels: Exploring the Impact of Chinese-Themed Digital Games on International Players' Tourism Intentions
Journal: Modern Economics & Management Forum DOI: 10.32629/memf.v5i5.2882
Abstract
This study examines the potential of Chinese-themed digital games as innovative tools for destination marketing and cultural promotion, focusing on their ability to influence international players' tourism intentions toward China. Using "Black Myth: Wukong", a popular Chinese action RPG, as a case study, this study investigates how the game shapes players' perceptions and motivates travel interest. Through analysis of 4,046 user reviews on Steam, this study address: (1) How international players perceive Chinese cultural elements in the game; (2) Which game features most effectively stimulate interest in Chinese culture and tourism; and (3) How the game fosters cultural curiosity and inspires intentions to visit China. Multi-method approach provides insights into these dynamics, contributing to understanding how digital games can serve as marketing tools in promoting tourism destinations. The results offer practical implications for leveraging digital media for tourism promotion.
Keywords
cultural marketing, game-induced tourism, Chinese cultural games, tourism intentions, digital cultural promotion
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[3] Consalvo, M. (2016). Atari to Zelda: Japan's videogames in global contexts. MIT Press.
[4] Consalvo, M. (2006). Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture. New Media & Society, 8(1), 117-137.
[5] Dann, G. M. S. (1977). Anomie, ego-enhancement and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 4(4), 184-194.
[6] Gartner, W. C. (1994). Image formation process. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 2(2-3), 191-216.
[7] Jernsand, E. M., Kraff, H., & Mossberg, L. (2015). Tourism experience innovation through design. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 15(sup1), 98-119.
[8] Kempiak, J., Hollywood, L., Bolan, P., & McMahon-Beattie, U. (2017). The heritage tourist: An understanding of the visitor experience at heritage attractions. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 23(4), 375-392.
[9] Kim, H., & Richardson, S. L. (2003). Motion picture impacts on destination images. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(1), 216-237.
[10] Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Sage Publications.
[11] Pesonen, J., & Komppula, R. (2010). Rural wellbeing tourism: Motivations and expectations. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 17(1), 150-157.
[12] Pine, B. J., & Gilmore, J. H. (1998). Welcome to the experience economy. Harvard Business Review, 76, 97-105.
[13] Sarkady, D., Neuburger, L., & Egger, R. (2021). Virtual reality as a travel substitution tool during COVID-19. In Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2021 (pp. 452-463). Springer, Cham.
[14] Shaw, A. (2010). What is video game culture? Cultural studies and game studies. Games and Culture, 5(4), 403-424.
[15] Shen, S., Sotiriadis, M., & Zhou, Q. (2020). Could smart tourists be sustainable and responsible as well? The contribution of social networking sites to improving their sustainable and responsible behavior. Sustainability, 12(4), 1470.
[16] Stepchenkova, S., & Zhan, F. (2013). Visual destination images of Peru: Comparative content analysis of DMO and user-generated photography. Tourism Management, 36, 590-601.
[17] Sun, M., Ryan, C., & Pan, S. (2015). Using Chinese travel blogs to examine perceived destination image: The case of New Zealand. Journal of Travel Research, 54(4), 543-555.
[18] Szablewicz, M. (2020). Mapping digital game culture in China. Springer International Publishing.
[19] Taecharungroj, V., & Mathayomchan, B. (2019). Analysing TripAdvisor reviews of tourist attractions in Phuket, Thailand. Tourism Management, 75, 550-568.
[20] Wong, I. A., & Lai, I. K. W. (2021). The effects of value co-creation activities on the perceived performance of exhibitions: A service science perspective. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 46, 280-289.
[21] Xu, F., Tian, F., Buhalis, D., Weber, J., & Zhang, H. (2016). Tourists as mobile gamers: Gamification for tourism marketing. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 33(8), 1124-1142.
[22] Ye, B. H., Ye, H., & Law, R. (2020). Systematic review of smart tourism research.
[23] Zhou, H. (2024-08-22). Can Shanxi Leverage the Massive Traffic Generated by "Black Myth: Wukong" to Go Viral? 21st Century Business Herald, 006.
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