Do sustainability-experienced travellers prefer a more rational communication of the sustainability of a tourism product?

Abstract

This study empirically examines, in four countries, which communication style (emotional or rational) is most appropriate for addressing sustainabilityexperienced travellers. There are only small differences compared to the average tourist. Rational communication elements, which explain the sustainability of the product, become more important for this specific customer group. However, most emotional communication elements are still more important in most countries, indicating that experienced tourists also process sustainability information in a heuristic way.