Leveraging horizon height in a panoramic advertisement to promote tourism advertising effectiveness: a construal fit perspective

A variety of visual information has received attention in the field of destination sensory marketing. However, the horizon height in a panoramic advertising image - one visual message often used in advertising - has yet to be researched. This research causes several noteworthy findings through three scenario-based experiments. Results reveal that the horizon height in a tourism panoramic advertisement should be tailored to the tourism activity type to enhance advertising effectiveness (i.e. increased travel intention): for a relaxing activity, customers should be exposed to a panoramic advertisement featuring a high horizon; for a challenging activity, a panorama with a low horizon is more persuasive. Findings also unearth the mediating (i.e. engagement) and moderating (i.e. narrative perspective) effects behind the interaction between the horizon height in a panoramic advertising view and tourism activity type on travel intention. These discoveries enrich the literature on tourism destination sensory marketing and provide destination marketers with a novel means of attracting visitors.