Objectives: This study investigates how the design characteristics of regionally specialized tourist souvenirs influence tourists’ behavioral intentions, emphasizing the mediating role of consumption value awareness. The aim is to provide empirical evidence for enhancing tourism product competitiveness and destination branding.
Methods: From March 1 to May 31, 2023, an online survey was conducted with Chinese and Korean tourists who had purchased regionally specialized tourist souvenirs in China or Korea. A total of 439 valid responses were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling with IBM SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 25.0.
Results: Four design characteristics—practicality, regionality, symbolism, and commemorativeness—significantly influenced emotional, functional, and social value perceptions. These value perceptions, in turn, affected purchase and word-of-mouth intentions. Consumption value awareness partially mediated the relationship between design characteristics and behavioral intentions, with practicality, symbolism, and commemorativeness exerting the strongest effects.
Conclusions: Enhancing key design attributes and reinforcing emotional and functional value perceptions can foster stronger purchase and word-of-mouth intentions. The findings contribute to the literature on tourism product design and offer actionable guidance for destination marketing strategies.
Objectives: This study investigates how the design characteristics of regionally specialized tourist souvenirs influence tourists’ behavioral intentions, emphasizing the mediating role of consumption value awareness. The aim is to provide empirical evidence for enhancing tourism product competitiveness and destination branding.
Methods: From March 1 to May 31, 2023, an online survey was conducted with Chinese and Korean tourists who had purchased regionally specialized tourist souvenirs in China or Korea. A total of 439 valid responses were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling with IBM SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 25.0.
Results: Four design characteristics—practicality, regionality, symbolism, and commemorativeness—significantly influenced emotional, functional, and social value perceptions. These value perceptions, in turn, affected purchase and word-of-mouth intentions. Consumption value awareness partially mediated the relationship between design characteristics and behavioral intentions, with practicality, symbolism, and commemorativeness exerting the strongest effects.
Conclusions: Enhancing key design attributes and reinforcing emotional and functional value perceptions can foster stronger purchase and word-of-mouth intentions. The findings contribute to the literature on tourism product design and offer actionable guidance for destination marketing strategies.