Travel Live Streaming and Tourist Decision-Making: A Psychological and Behavioural Perspective on Bridging Virtual Engagement and Physical Travel

This study explores how travel live streaming (TLS) influences people’s travel decisions by linking online engagement with real-world trips. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour and affordance theory, it draws on qualitative interviews with Chinese TLS viewers to understand how attitudes, social influence, control, and emotional connection are shaped by streaming platforms. Through directed content analysis, the study reveals that TLS can spark interest in travel or even replace it, with real-time interaction and social feedback playing key roles. The research offers a new framework connecting platform features to travel behaviour and provides practical ideas for digital marketing and managing authenticity, trust, and sustainability in tourism. While limited by sample and context, it highlights the need for future cross-cultural and mixed-method studies. Overall, it sheds fresh light on how virtual experiences can shape where and why people travel.