Realistic or cartoonish? The effects of digital avatar representation on tourists’ patronage intentions

With AI increasingly applied in tourism marketing, digital avatars have become key mediators between destinations and potential tourists. Yet, the persuasive effectiveness of different avatar representations across tourism contexts remains underexplored. Drawing on processing fluency and cognitive–affective system theories, this study conducted three scenario-based experiments to examine the matching effects of avatar representation and attraction type, and their underlying psychological mechanisms. Results reveal a significant interaction: cartoonish avatars boost tourists’ patronage intentions in natural attractions, whereas realistic avatars are more effective in cultural attractions. Mediation analysis shows affection drives the effect in natural attractions, while cognitive processing is the key pathway in cultural attractions. Fantasy proneness and perceived eeriness act as critical boundary conditions. The study advances understanding of digital avatar marketing by highlighting context-dependent, dual-pathway mechanisms and the moderating role of individual differences, offering theoretical insights and practical guidance for AI-driven tourism marketing.