Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to expand on the theories of parasocial identification and transitional objects, and to pioneer the investigation into how imaginative practices become tangible aspects of tourist behavior. Methods: Based on a survey data with 385 Game of Thrones fans, a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ariel Zoltán Mitev, Anna Rita Irimiás, Gábor Michalkó
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Hellenic University 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://zenodo.org/records/14524802/files/10-2-3.pdf?download=1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850108473193267200
author Ariel Zoltán Mitev
Anna Rita Irimiás
Gábor Michalkó
author_facet Ariel Zoltán Mitev
Anna Rita Irimiás
Gábor Michalkó
author_sort Ariel Zoltán Mitev
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to expand on the theories of parasocial identification and transitional objects, and to pioneer the investigation into how imaginative practices become tangible aspects of tourist behavior. Methods: Based on a survey data with 385 Game of Thrones fans, a hypothesized model was tested using PLS-SEM. Results: This paper suggests that identification with media characters is a gradual structured process, and memorabilia are transitional objects that further enhance viewers’ travel intentions. Findings show that film memorabilia make illusory experiences tangible and enable individuals to cross the threshold between the imagined and the mundane. Implications: The study offers tourism marketers and service providers insights into how to shorten the psychological distance between seemingly unattainable fictive worlds and screen tourism destinations.
format Article
id doaj-art-464fa3901ef2459ea82c18c3f1da8d78
institution OA Journals
issn 2529-1947
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher International Hellenic University
record_format Article
series Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing
spelling doaj-art-464fa3901ef2459ea82c18c3f1da8d782025-08-20T02:38:22ZengInternational Hellenic UniversityJournal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing2529-19472024-12-01243210.5281/zenodo.14524802Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?Ariel Zoltán Mitev 0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9986-3513Anna Rita Irimiás 1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0307-6556Gábor Michalkó 2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2495-1858Corvinus University of BudapestUniversity of TrentoUniversity of PannoniaPurpose: The main purpose of this paper is to expand on the theories of parasocial identification and transitional objects, and to pioneer the investigation into how imaginative practices become tangible aspects of tourist behavior. Methods: Based on a survey data with 385 Game of Thrones fans, a hypothesized model was tested using PLS-SEM. Results: This paper suggests that identification with media characters is a gradual structured process, and memorabilia are transitional objects that further enhance viewers’ travel intentions. Findings show that film memorabilia make illusory experiences tangible and enable individuals to cross the threshold between the imagined and the mundane. Implications: The study offers tourism marketers and service providers insights into how to shorten the psychological distance between seemingly unattainable fictive worlds and screen tourism destinations.https://zenodo.org/records/14524802/files/10-2-3.pdf?download=1film tourismtv serieshypothesis developmenttravel motivationmaterial culture
spellingShingle Ariel Zoltán Mitev
Anna Rita Irimiás
Gábor Michalkó
Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing
film tourism
tv series
hypothesis development
travel motivation
material culture
title Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
title_full Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
title_fullStr Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
title_full_unstemmed Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
title_short Making parasocial identification tangible: Can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention?
title_sort making parasocial identification tangible can film memorabilia strengthen travel intention
topic film tourism
tv series
hypothesis development
travel motivation
material culture
url https://zenodo.org/records/14524802/files/10-2-3.pdf?download=1
work_keys_str_mv AT arielzoltanmitev makingparasocialidentificationtangiblecanfilmmemorabiliastrengthentravelintention
AT annaritairimias makingparasocialidentificationtangiblecanfilmmemorabiliastrengthentravelintention
AT gabormichalko makingparasocialidentificationtangiblecanfilmmemorabiliastrengthentravelintention