Tropical Island Visual Strategies for Sustainable Tourism: Contrasting Real Photographs and AI-Generated Images

This study examines how real photographs and AI-generated photographs shape sustainable engagement and travel intention in tropical island tourism. We used a one-factor between subjects survey experiment with two independent conditions, real images and AI images, with 357 participants in each group. Guided by the SOR framework, we measured perceived authenticity, cognitive destination image, emotional comfort, and perceived information diagnosticity, together with sustainable engagement and travel intention. Structural equation modeling shows that under both visual conditions the four perceptual factors are positively associated with travel intention. In the real photo condition, sustainable engagement partially mediates the effects of all four factors on travel intention. In the AI photo condition, sustainable engagement mediates the effects of cognitive destination image, emotional comfort, and perceived information diagnosticity on travel intention, while the indirect pathway from perceived authenticity to travel intention through sustainable engagement is not significant. These findings support an actionable dual-track visual strategy. Use AI images to expand reach at low ecological cost, then use real images with verifiable cues to strengthen credibility and encourage responsible choices.