Identification and Influence of Tourism Rituals: Analysis of Eye Movement Recognition of Tourism Images

A large number of symbolic and cultural elements have been included by designers in their photographing and creation of images for tourist destinations. However, the personal visual experiences of those with professional knowledge cannot fully recognize or evaluate ordinary tourists’ identification with tourism rituals. Thus, in this article, potential Chinese tourists will be treated as the research subjects and New Zealand tourism photos as the ritual carriers. In this study, we explore the use of images representing tourism rituals recognized by tourists, and we investigate how the cognitive outcome of those rituals affects the tourists’ intention to travel to the destination. By measuring the participants’ visual parameters, the study shows that images can effectively transfer a solidified sense of ritual. Meanwhile, through a comprehensive classification, the study deepens the theory of ritual tourism. Ultimately, this work explores whether tourists’ perception of rituals can effectively stimulate their motivation to travel.