In an era where digital connectivity increasingly defines the contours of consumer behavior, the tourism industry is witnessing a profound transformation driven by online word-of-mouth (IWOM) mechanisms. Recent research focusing on Jiangxi Province, China, offers illuminating insights into how IWOM reshapes tourists’ perceptions, decisions, and ultimately, the development trajectory of tourist attractions. Unlike conventional marketing strategies, IWOM—predominantly propagated through major online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Ctrip and Tongcheng Travel—has emerged as a critical information channel influencing tourists’ choices and destination branding. This study deep dives into the spatial distribution patterns and multifactorial influences shaping IWOM, applying a multidisciplinary framework that bridges tourism geography with media geography to reveal nuanced interactions between physical environments and digital dialogues.
The spatial characteristics of IWOM reveal intricate patterns reflecting both the geographic deployment of tourist attractions and the socio-economic behaviors of tourists engaging with these sites. By analyzing online semantic data linked to OTAs, the research uncovers micro-level differentiations among attraction types, emphasizing the heterogeneity of tourist experiences as expressed in digital narratives. Spatial structure, as conceptualized through human economic activities within defined areas, is pivotal in understanding tourism dynamics. Here, the topology of IWOM serves not only as a reflection of geographic dispersion but also as an indicator of the health and sustainability of tourism ecosystems. Mapping the spatial framework of IWOM enables the identification of regional imbalances, providing a scientific basis for optimizing tourism resource allocation and fostering equitable growth across disparate locales.
Exploring factors influencing IWOM transcends traditional management and psychological paradigms, introducing an ecological lens that situates tourist attractions as dynamic interfaces of human-environment interaction. This approach conceptualizes tourists not merely as passive recipients but as active constructors and propagators of IWOM within both physical and virtual realms. The study synthesizes customer perceived value theory, government intervention theory, and tourist expectation frameworks to unravel the pathways by which environmental, institutional, and digital factors modulate IWOM. This integrated theoretical scaffold highlights a bidirectional relationship: physical attributes and media presence of attractions influence tourist discourse, which in turn reshapes perceptions and spatial environments through feedback loops facilitated by information exchange.
From a methodological standpoint, the research employs advanced machine learning techniques to transcend the limitations inherent in traditional statistical models. The use of the XGBoost-SHAP framework allows for the capture of nonlinear, complex interactions among variables influencing IWOM, offering precision in predictive modeling alongside interpretability of factor contributions. This approach contrasts with linear regression models typically used in tourism geography, which impose restrictive assumptions and often fail to model spatial heterogeneities effectively. Through this robust computational approach, the study demonstrates how nuanced machine learning methodologies can enrich the analysis of spatial determinants and digital dissemination patterns, heralding new frontiers for interdisciplinary research across geography, information sciences, and behavioral studies.
Strategically, findings from Jiangxi Province underscore the critical importance of scientifically guided regional planning to foster growth poles that catalyze holistic tourism development. The research identifies specific geographic areas—central Shangrao, southern Jiujiang, and portions of Ganzhou—where IWOM levels are markedly subdued. To counteract this, coordinated regional marketing strategies are advocated, encompassing cultural asset mobilization, event planning, and the cultivation of distinctive attraction identities. Such integrative efforts aim to amplify inter-regional connectivity, potentiate brand formation, and stimulate tourism flows, thereby elevating both the volume and quality of IWOM across these zones. The premise is that strengthening the web of attractions within a region fosters an interconnected tourism network capable of sustaining competitive advantage collectively.
Enhancing the intrinsic appeal of tourism services is demonstrated as a parallel imperative to foster positive IWOM. Scenery emerges as the dominant influence, indicating the necessity for each tourist site to meticulously curate its physical attributes and cultivate unique landscapes that resonate with visitors. The interplay of government support and internet visibility further compounds IWOM generation, necessitating proactive local policy engagement and strategic online marketing to bolster digital presence. Interestingly, the relative impact of these factors varies across different types of attractions—natural ecological, historical cultural, modern amusement, and industrial integration—calling for bespoke management approaches that account for sector-specific operational challenges and visitor expectations.
Natural ecology attractions, characterized by expansive areas and operational complexity, demand a delicate balance between pricing strategies and service quality to maximize perceived cost performance, a factor strongly linked to IWOM positivity. This contrasts with historical and cultural destinations, where the dual engines of scenic beauty and digital popularity drive visitor engagement. These sites benefit from leveraging local heritage assets and deploying innovative digital campaigns designed to enhance social media discourse and online community formation. Similarly, modern amusement parks rely heavily on the quality of nearby accommodations and active government involvement, highlighting the importance of integrated service ecosystems. Industrial integration attractions leverage their composite nature and strong brands, focusing on deep resource collaborations and experiential enhancements to sustain competitive positioning.
Despite its comprehensive analytical framework, the study acknowledges limitations primarily related to data scope and theoretical breadth. Data collection constraints restricted IWOM analysis to dominant OTA platforms, thereby missing potentially diverse perspectives from emerging or niche digital sources. This limitation cautions against overgeneralization and points toward future research incorporating multi-platform datasets to capture the full spectrum of online tourist discourse. Moreover, while the macro-level human-environment approach reveals collective spatial patterns effectively, it underrepresents the micro-level psychological processes driving individual IWOM behaviors, such as cognitive biases and emotional motivations. To address this gap, subsequent inquiries are encouraged to adopt mixed-method methodologies, pairing quantitative machine learning models with qualitative behavioral experiments and surveys to construct a more granular and dynamic understanding of IWOM generation.
This pioneering investigation into the intersection of online word-of-mouth and tourism geography offers compelling evidence that digital spatial discourse significantly shapes regional tourism development. The innovative use of machine learning algorithms democratizes complex factor analysis, providing tourism stakeholders with actionable intelligence to tailor destination management and marketing strategies. By integrating digital narratives with spatial analytics, the study paves the way for enhanced destination branding, resource optimization, and sustainable tourism growth in Jiangxi Province and potentially other regions with similar socio-economic profiles.
Consequently, the research frames IWOM not only as a marketing tool but as a vital feedback mechanism reflecting and influencing the evolving human-environment relationship inherent to tourism systems. This reciprocal dynamic suggests that successful tourism strategies must harmonize physical resource management with active digital engagement, ensuring that both tangible experiences and virtual representations reinforce one another. In practical terms, local governments and tourism enterprises should prioritize digital monitoring, targeted promotional campaigns, and investment in quality infrastructure to capitalize on the synergistic effects of scenery appeal, service excellence, and media presence.
Moreover, the study highlights the necessity of differentiated approaches tailored to attraction types, considering operational nuances and visitor segmentation. By acknowledging the diversity of tourist expectations and the multifaceted nature of IWOM influencers—ranging from environmental attributes to social media trends—marketing efforts can achieve greater resonance and efficacy. For instance, enhancing transportation safety and accessibility may be paramount for natural ecology destinations, while cultural attractions may prioritize storytelling and heritage conservation amplified through modern digital channels. Amusement parks and industrial sites should focus heavily on hospitality integration and technological innovation to match evolving consumer preferences.
Ultimately, this in-depth exploration of IWOM in Jiangxi Province captures the emergent role of digital platforms as a locus of power in destination competitiveness. It advocates for a paradigm shift in tourism management that embraces cross-sector collaboration, technology adoption, and data-driven governance. By fostering growth hubs, elevating service quality, and leveraging the potential of online discourse, destinations can unlock sustainable value while enhancing tourist satisfaction and regional economic vitality. This study not only enriches academic discourse but offers a blueprint for policymakers, marketers, and practitioners navigating the digital transformation of global tourism.
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Feng, X., Jiang, L., Li, Q. et al. Characteristics and influencing factors of internet word-of-mouth of tourist attractions: evidence from Jiangxi, China. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1496 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05713-y
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