Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study

With the rising significance of visual marketing, differences in how tourists from various age groups visually engage with tourism promotional materials remain insufficiently studied. This study recruited 48 participants and used a quasi-experimental design combined with eye-tracking technology to e...

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Main Authors: Linlin Yuan, Zihao Cao, Yongchun Mao, Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa, Muhammad Hafeez Abdul Nasir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Eye Movement Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1995-8692/18/3/16
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author Linlin Yuan
Zihao Cao
Yongchun Mao
Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa
Muhammad Hafeez Abdul Nasir
author_facet Linlin Yuan
Zihao Cao
Yongchun Mao
Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa
Muhammad Hafeez Abdul Nasir
author_sort Linlin Yuan
collection DOAJ
description With the rising significance of visual marketing, differences in how tourists from various age groups visually engage with tourism promotional materials remain insufficiently studied. This study recruited 48 participants and used a quasi-experimental design combined with eye-tracking technology to examine visual attention, scan path patterns, and their relationship to reading performance among different age groups. Independent t-tests, correlation analyses, and Lag Sequential Analysis were conducted to compare the differences between the two groups. Results indicated that elder participants had significantly higher fixation counts and longer fixation durations in text regions than younger participants, as well as higher perceived novelty scores. A positive correlation emerged between text fixation duration and perceived novelty. Additionally, elder participants showed greater interaction between text and images, while younger participants exhibited a more linear reading pattern. This study offers empirical insights to optimize tourism promotional materials, highlighting the need for age-specific communication strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-b7f0c1fdb8e149c08bcbd0ba22457960
institution Kabale University
issn 1995-8692
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Eye Movement Research
spelling doaj-art-b7f0c1fdb8e149c08bcbd0ba224579602025-08-20T03:27:40ZengMDPI AGJournal of Eye Movement Research1995-86922025-05-011831610.3390/jemr18030016Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking StudyLinlin Yuan0Zihao Cao1Yongchun Mao2Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa3Muhammad Hafeez Abdul Nasir4School of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, MalaysiaSchool of the Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, MalaysiaSchool of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, MalaysiaFaculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaSchool of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, MalaysiaWith the rising significance of visual marketing, differences in how tourists from various age groups visually engage with tourism promotional materials remain insufficiently studied. This study recruited 48 participants and used a quasi-experimental design combined with eye-tracking technology to examine visual attention, scan path patterns, and their relationship to reading performance among different age groups. Independent t-tests, correlation analyses, and Lag Sequential Analysis were conducted to compare the differences between the two groups. Results indicated that elder participants had significantly higher fixation counts and longer fixation durations in text regions than younger participants, as well as higher perceived novelty scores. A positive correlation emerged between text fixation duration and perceived novelty. Additionally, elder participants showed greater interaction between text and images, while younger participants exhibited a more linear reading pattern. This study offers empirical insights to optimize tourism promotional materials, highlighting the need for age-specific communication strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/1995-8692/18/3/16heritage tourismeye trackingage differencesinformation processingheritage marketing
spellingShingle Linlin Yuan
Zihao Cao
Yongchun Mao
Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa
Muhammad Hafeez Abdul Nasir
Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
Journal of Eye Movement Research
heritage tourism
eye tracking
age differences
information processing
heritage marketing
title Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
title_full Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
title_fullStr Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
title_full_unstemmed Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
title_short Age-Related Differences in Visual Attention to Heritage Tourism: An Eye-Tracking Study
title_sort age related differences in visual attention to heritage tourism an eye tracking study
topic heritage tourism
eye tracking
age differences
information processing
heritage marketing
url https://www.mdpi.com/1995-8692/18/3/16
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AT zihaocao agerelateddifferencesinvisualattentiontoheritagetourismaneyetrackingstudy
AT yongchunmao agerelateddifferencesinvisualattentiontoheritagetourismaneyetrackingstudy
AT mohdhafizalmohdisa agerelateddifferencesinvisualattentiontoheritagetourismaneyetrackingstudy
AT muhammadhafeezabdulnasir agerelateddifferencesinvisualattentiontoheritagetourismaneyetrackingstudy