The power of two-sidedness: enhancing the user engagement intention towards AI-generated emotional tourism advertising

The growing application of artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism communication has transformed the ways destinations and businesses engage with potential travelers. Yet, the role of emotional intensity in shaping user engagement and the underlying mechanism remain underexplored. Drawing on attribution theory, this study employed two experiments to investigate these dynamics. Study 1 examined the main effect (N = 126), and Study 2 tested the underlying mechanism (N = 210). The results indicate an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease in user engagement with emotional intensity, mediated by self-AI connection and AI advertising skepticism. Notably, two-sided advertising reduces skepticism and strengthens engagement, highlighting its potential as a more credible and responsible communication strategy. By revealing how dual-sided narratives operate in AI-generated tourism advertising, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of sustainable marketing practices that build trust, enhance user participation, and support long-term relationships between destinations and travelers.