Designing advertising campaigns for destinations with mixed images: Using visitor campaign goal messages to motivate visitors

Promoting a destination challenges tourism managers when potential visitors have mixed images. Extending Koo and Fishbachʹs (2008) dynamic self-regulation research, this study uses diminishing sensitivity theory and proposes that a destinationʹs goal progress information in advertising messages non-linearly influences touristsʹ motivation to visit the destination. A sample of 114 potential tourists was assigned randomly to scenarios employing a 2 (goal progress frame: to-date vs. to-go) × 2 (goal progress rate: high vs. low) between-subjects design. The finding supports the proposition that the destination cityʹs campaign goal progress rates moderate goal progress framingʹs impact on travel attractiveness. Consistent with diminishing sensitivity theory, touristsʹ motivation to adhere to the campaign goals depends on the distance between the current goal progress and the reference point (“differential goal progress frame effects”). Both touristsʹ social and personal benefits also mediate the differential goal progress frame effects.