From TikTok to travel: The impact of sport related user-generated short videos on destination brand attitude and purchase intention

The rapid growth of short-form video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has transformed the way tourism services and sport-related destinations and events are marketed, yet little is known about how destination-themed user-generated short videos (UGDSVs) influence tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions compared to official destination marketing videos. This study aims to examine the psychological and social mechanisms through which UGDSVs shape sport destination brand attitude and sport travel purchase intention. Specifically, the objectives are to assess the roles of emotional engagement, perceived authenticity, and social proof in the sport related decision-making process. Focusing on data collected in 2024 from Asian and European travelers, we employ a mixed-methods design combining sentiment analysis of 2000 TikToksport-travel videos with a structural equation modeling (SEM) survey of 500 respondents. The findings reveal five key results: (1) sport UGDSVs generate significantly higher perceived authenticity than official sport promotional videos; (2) emotional engagement strongly mediates the relationship between video exposure and sport destination brand attitude; (3) social proof amplifies the positive effect of UGDSVs on sport travel purchase intention; (4) perceived authenticity reduces psychological reactance toward sport destination advertising; and (5) UGDSVs enhance a sense of presence, leading to more favorable evaluations of the overall sport tourism experience. These findings demonstrate that peer-driven short video content can outperform traditional sport marketing in fostering trust and emotional connection. From a policy perspective, sport destination managers and event organizers are encouraged to strategically integrate and incentivize user-generated short-form videos to strengthen competitiveness, credibility, and fan-driven engagement.