Lijuan Su, Siyi Hou, Ye Zhang, Caijiao Lu, Xueting Zhai
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
A scholarly debate has arisen concerning the influence of cuteness on the public's propensity for forgiveness during crises. Theme parks present a unique context where interacting with cute mascots is a central draw for visitors, yet these can become a source of crisis. This study aims to examine the impact of theme park cute mascots on the public's forgiveness in online crises and employs the Shanghai Disneyland LinaBell crisis as a case. Results from social media analysis and interviews revealed that the perceived cuteness of the mascot, combined with crisis attributions and the public's sympathy, influenced their forgiveness. A survey involving 495 participants was employed to test the hypotheses. Results identified a significant moderating role of the perceived cuteness of mascots that weakens the influence of the internal locus attribution on public forgiveness. This study provides insights for theme parks in carrying out emotional marketing campaigns for crisis image recovery.
期刊介绍：
Tourism Management Perspectives is an interdisciplinary journal that focuses on the planning and management of travel and tourism. It covers topics such as tourist experiences, their consequences for communities, economies, and environments, the creation of image, the shaping of tourist experiences and perceptions, and the management of tourist organizations and destinations. The journal's editorial board consists of experienced international professionals and it shares the board with Tourism Management. The journal covers socio-cultural, technological, planning, and policy aspects of international, national, and regional tourism, as well as specific management studies. It encourages papers that introduce new research methods and critique existing ones in the context of tourism research. The journal publishes empirical research articles and high-quality review articles on important topics and emerging themes that enhance the theoretical and conceptual understanding of key areas within travel and tourism management.
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