IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v89y2026ipas0969698925003674.html

The bright side of fictional information: Positive impacts of AI hallucination on tourists’ cultural contact

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Yuchen
  • Guo, Rui

Abstract

Grounded in dual-process theory, this study investigates how AI hallucination influences tourists' cultural contact in the context of destination storytelling. Through two experimental and one qualitative interview studies, the findings reveal two distinct pathways: from an intuitive system perspective, AI hallucination enhances narrative transportation of destination stories, thus increasing tourists' interest-type curiosity and ultimately promoting cultural contact. From an analytical system perspective, AI hallucination triggers cognitive dissonance, heightening deprivation-type curiosity and subsequently fostering greater cultural contact. Moreover, AI literacy negatively moderates the intuitive pathway while positively moderating the analytical pathway. Additionally, AI hallucination that exhibits a prototype matching with destination culture is particularly effective in encouraging tourists’ cultural contact. This study challenges previous criticisms of AI hallucination by highlighting their potential in enhancing cultural narrative dissemination for destinations. The findings provide valuable insights for tourism businesses aiming to leverage AI effectively for cultural promotion.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Yuchen & Guo, Rui, 2026. "The bright side of fictional information: Positive impacts of AI hallucination on tourists’ cultural contact," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:89:y:2026:i:pa:s0969698925003674
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104588
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925003674
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104588?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cao, Xinyue & Qu, Zhirui & Liu, Yan & Hu, JiaJing, 2021. "How the destination short video affects the customers' attitude: The role of narrative transportation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    2. Maria Sääksjärvi & Tripat Gill & Erik Jan Hultink, 2017. "How rumors and preannouncements foster curiosity toward products," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(3), pages 350-371, August.
    3. Gnoth, Jürgen & Zins, Andreas H., 2013. "Developing a tourism cultural contact scale," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(6), pages 738-744.
    4. Yujie Sun & Dongfang Sheng & Zihan Zhou & Yifei Wu, 2024. "AI hallucination: towards a comprehensive classification of distorted information in artificial intelligence-generated content," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Chatterjee, Sheshadri & Chaudhuri, Ranjan & Kumar, Ajay & Lu Wang, Cheng & Gupta, Shivam, 2023. "Impacts of consumer cognitive process to ascertain online fake review: A cognitive dissonance theory approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Onder, Irem & McCabe, Scott, 2025. "How AI hallucinations threaten research integrity in tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. Hermann, Erik & Puntoni, Stefano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and consumer behavior: From predictive to generative AI," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    8. Wonseok (Eric) Jang & Jihoon (Jay) Kim & Soojin Kim & Jung Won Chun, 2021. "The role of engagement in travel influencer marketing: the perspectives of dual process theory and the source credibility model," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(17), pages 2416-2420, September.
    9. Jeff Christensen & Jared M. Hansen & Paul Wilson, 2025. "Understanding the role and impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) hallucination within consumers’ tourism decision-making processes," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 545-560, February.
    10. Wang, Yuchen & Guo, Rui, 2024. "Travel photography is important to me! The impact of merchants' photo editing behavior on destination clothes rental intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Leonie Baldacchino & Deniz Ucbasaran & Laure Cabantous, 2023. "Linking Experience to Intuition and Cognitive Versatility in New Venture Ideation: A Dual‐Process Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1105-1146, July.
    12. Tomoko Totsune & Izumi Matsudaira & Yasuyuki Taki, 2021. "Curiosity–tourism interaction promotes subjective wellbeing among older adults in Japan," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kumar, Aman & Shankar, Amit & Hollebeek, Linda D. & Behl, Abhishek & Lim, Weng Marc, 2025. "Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) revolution: A deep dive into GenAI adoption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Sarah V. Bentley, 2025. "Knowing you know nothing in the age of generative AI," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    3. Francisco Dias & Alexandra Meira Lavaredas, 2024. "Assessing the Effectiveness of Tourism Promotional Videos: Creativity, Emotional Impact, Perceived Quality, and Attitude Towards the Destination," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Ivanov, Dmitry, 2025. "Conceptual and formal models for design, adaptation, and control of digital twins in supply chain ecosystems," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Agrawal, Shiv Ratan & Mittal, Divya, 2022. "Optimizing customer engagement content strategy in retail and E-tail: Available on online product review videos," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    6. Keyi Li & Liang Rui, 2025. "The impact of short-form videos on tourist travel intention toward cities: an integrated theory of planned behavior and elaboration likelihood model approach," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Sun, Maogang & Li, Zhengyu & Yang, Lu, 2025. "Inconsistency across short-term and long-term oriented signals: Effect on investor reactions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    8. Tran, Minh Tung, 2026. "Advancing retail and service strategies: AI-driven consumer behavior prediction, gamification, and ethical marketing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    9. Feng Yuxin & Tian Yunxia & Lv Xiaoyu & Xue Jiayu & Chen Yulan, 2025. "Spatial heterogeneity and its influencing factors of Douyin network: Attention to 5a-level scenic spots in China," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 36-49.
    10. Giacomo Zatini, 2025. "Conditions of use and impacts of artificial intelligence in marketing practices: a mixed-method literature review," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2025(3), pages 293-329, September.
    11. Kim, Youngjun & Kim, Hye-Jin & Park, Keeyeon Ki-cheon, 2025. "From visuals to value: leveraging generative AI to explore the economic implications of movie poster," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    12. Singu, Hari Babu & Chakraborty, Debarun & Troise, Ciro & Camilleri, Mark Anthony & Bresciani, Stefano, 2026. "Responsible AI for trustworthy tourism: A framework for mitigating ambiguity and anxiety with generative AI," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    13. Zhang, Yuchen & Zheng, Xiaochuan & Wu, Chuanhui & Zhou, Yusheng & Fan, Hao, 2024. "Understanding the health misinformation dissemination on Twitter: The perspective of tweets-comments consistency," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    14. Wobst, Janice & Lueg, Rainer, 2025. "Avoiding algorithm errors in textual analysis: A guide to selecting software, and a research agenda toward generative artificial intelligence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    15. Sizhen Lai & Shuning Zhang & Ling Zhang & Hsien-Wei Tseng & Yan-Chyuan Shiau, 2021. "Study on the Influence of Cultural Contact and Tourism Memory on the Intention to Revisit: A Case Study of Cultural and Creative Districts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    16. Rodriguez-Sanchez, Carla & Sancho-Esper, Franco Manuel & Casaló, Luis Vicente & López, Manuela, 2025. "Generative AI as a source of information on environmental Problems: Understanding its influence on Generation Z," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    17. Sreedhar Madhavaram & Radha Appan, 2024. "AI for marketing: Enabler? Engager? Ersatz?," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 14(3), pages 258-277, December.
    18. Siqi Wang & Qingjin Wang & Qian Cui & Tian Lan, 2025. "Artificial Intelligence in Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-25, October.
    19. Meng, Kexin & Xiao, Jing Jian, 2026. "Can ChatGPT relate to you? Exploring consumer satisfaction with AI-generated product advice through the lens of consumption values," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    20. Hao Zeng & Guangyuan Yao & Xiujie Ma, 2025. "The impact of short videos on young people’s willingness to engage in martial arts: establishing and testing a conditional process model," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:89:y:2026:i:pa:s0969698925003674. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.