An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Visitors’ Cognitive Appraisals in a Meteorological Landscape Uncertainty Scenario

The meteorological landscape has always been the main selling point for some destinations, but the uncertain supply of the meteorological landscape also poses challenges for destination management. Little is known about visitors’ emotional and behavioral tendencies elicited by this uncertainty under landscape viewing; therefore, it is critical for academics and practitioners to understand visitors’ emotional and behavioral changes after the viewing experience and strategize marketing plans to improve revisit intention. Grounded upon cognitive appraisal theory, this study conducted in-depth interviews with 31 visitors who had had meteorological landscape viewing experiences to solicit their perceptions and appraisals of uncertainty. Results revealed that the uncertainty influenced visitors’ entire cognitive appraisal process and resulted in four types of revisit intentions. Specifically, even if visitors have a negative emotion after the viewing, they may choose to revisit. Accordingly, theoretical and practical implications for destination management are offered.