Celebrity involvement and film tourist loyalty: Destination image and place attachment as mediators

This study reports the results of an examination of the effects of celebrity involvement on tourist loyalty, with destination image and place attachment as mediators. Survey data from 413 tourists in Hengdian World Studio, the most prominent film tourist destination in China, indicated that fandom or celebrity involvement (measured using attraction, centrality, and self-expression) significantly improved destination image and place attachment, both of which also enhanced tourist loyalty. Moreover, although the direct relationship between celebrity involvement and tourist loyalty was not significant, it supported the full mediation of both destination image and place attachment. The findings carry theoretical and managerial implications.