From screen to destination: how Turkish and Korean TV series shape tourism preferences through visual, vocal, and celebrity appeals

Despite extensive research on film-induced tourism, significant gaps persist: the lack of systematic analysis of distinct media components (Visual, Vocal, and Celebrity Effects), limited cross-cultural comparative studies, and insufficient examination of how these components differentially impact destination awareness and brand image. This study addresses these gaps by employing the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory to investigate how Turkish and Korean television series influence tourism intentions. This study conducted a multi-group analysis comparing Turkish series (n = 160) and Korean series watchers (n = 142) in Pakistan. Findings reveal significant cross-cultural differences: Turkish productions primarily influence destination awareness through vocal effects, while Korean content leverages both celebrity influence and visual elements to shape brand image and visitation intentions. The study contributes to tourism marketing literature by decomposing media influence pathways, demonstrating how cultural proximity mediates entertainment-induced travel motivation, and establishing that identical media components function differently across cultural contexts, informing targeted destination marketing strategies for entertainment-producing nations.