Exploring emotion bursts: how micro-features of videos trigger spikes in travel intentions

This paper investigates a distinctive phenomenon observed on user-generated video platforms, termed “spikes in travel intentions”, which are surges in collective high-arousal emotions expressing viewers’ impulsive travel intentions triggered by video content such as travel vlogs and destination commercials. Based on data from 2,113 popular travel videos on BiliBili.com, detailed microscopic analyses of the video segments preceding these spikes were conducted. We identify key visual and auditory elements influencing the emergence of spikes using logistic regression analysis. Findings show visually stimulating and aesthetically pleasing imagery significantly enhances spike likelihood, whereas rapid scene transitions inhibit them. Music also facilitates spike emergence, but excessively loud volumes have adverse effects. Videos released in the morning also have positive effects. This research provides theoretical insights into the collective emotional dynamics underlying travel intention spikes and offers practical recommendations for optimizing social marketing to enhance audience engagement and effectiveness in tourism promotion.