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This study examines and verifies effects of media content and format on visitors' responses to sustainable tourism interpretations in two World Natural Heritage Sites. It differentiates itself from existing studies on tourism interpretations by designing interpretations depending on media format and sensory cues, as well as interpretation content – sustainability aspect & cultural style. The present study identifies the superior role of interpretation cultural style (aesthetic vs. scientific) in visitors' responses to sustainable tourism interpretations, compared to sustainability aspect and media format. In addition, results indicate that interpretations that incorporated visual sensory cues, such as videos and brochures, are more effective regarding visitors' perceived knowledge, attitudes and behavoral intention than those without visual cues, such as audio. Findings provide implications for sustainable tourism interpretations in natural tourist attractions in terms of contents and media formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops the AIEDA tourism advertising effects model and examines this model by tourism destination types and advertising formats in a field experiment. The AIEDA model extends the traditional AIDA model in the advertising field and additionally considers the unique features of tourism products. It includes five hierarchical stages: Attention→ Interest→Evaluation (Perceived Usefulness→ Perceived Credibility) → Desire →Action. Findings of experimental research indicate that destination type and advertising format have main effects and interaction effects on tourism advertising effects. In addition, this study discovered that, for natural and cultural destinations, video ads yielded similar or more positive advertising effects than virtual reality ads, whereas print was the least effective advertising format. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism interpretation is an important approach to assisting tourists to obtain the authentic values of heritage destinations so that the effectiveness of tourism interpretation in delivering natural and cultural values becomes of significance. Nevertheless, existing studies have drawn inconsistent conclusions on the effectiveness of interpersonal and non-personal interpretation. Therefore, this study aims to compare perceived heritage values when they are subjected to interpersonal and non-personal interpretations. Further, the study seeks to examine whether interpretive information and interpretive principles affect perceived heritage values. An empirical study was carried out in the World Heritage destination of Wulingyuan in Hunan province, China. Results indicate that interpersonal interpretation outperforms non-personal interpretation in delivering heritage values. Moreover, tourists focus more on the contents of the interpretation than the media the interpretation through which it is delivered. The cultural values of heritage are better interpreted by tour guides. This study is useful to instruct heritage destination managers, as well as to enhance the experience and knowledge of tourists. • Perception of heritage values is influenced by interpretive information and interpretive principles. • Tourists with a tour guide perceived higher heritage values than those without. • Tourists emphasized the connotation of interpretation instead of expressions and patterns of interpretive manifestation. • The cultural values of heritage could be better interpreted by tour guides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]