Humor on Destination Websites: Effects of Humor on Attitudes and Visit Intentions

Abstract

Humor is an important technique that can be applied in destination marketing to attract potential travelers. This study used a scenario-based experimental design to explore the effects of humor on destination websites. The results demonstrate that both the content of humor and the temporal distance of the visit significantly influence tourists’ attitudes and travel intentions, which are mediated by website trust. The relationships between humor content and visit intentions are stronger when travelers are promotion-focused rather than prevention-focused, and when they are more familiar with destination websites. This study contributes to knowledge and practice by highlighting humor as an essential component of destination website design and providing practical recommendations for destination marketing and management.