https://tms.atu.ac.ir/ Tourism Management Studies en daily 1 Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21306.html Green tourism, as a sustainable approach, focuses on preserving natural resources, reducing environmental impacts, and improving the quality of life in local communities. This study analyzes the effect of green tourism on the welfare of Shiraz’s historical fabric from 2011 to 2024 using Bayesian and generalized method of moments models. Findings indicate that among nine explanatory variables, “transport infrastructure,” “education level,” and “environmental awareness and training” have the greatest impacts. “Transport infrastructure,” with a probability of 0.9805, is the most influential factor, enhancing accessibility and quality of life. “Education level” (0.6724) and “environmental awareness” (0.5324) also show positive and significant effects. Economically, “gross domestic product” (0.1922) plays the most notable role, as a 1% increase leads to a 3.82% rise in welfare. The study’s innovation lies in its integrated analysis of economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions within the framework of green tourism https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21095.html Governance plays a vital and determining role in achieving the smart development of rural tourism destinations. Effective governance not only guides policies, programs, and macro-level decision-making, but also ensures social justice, institutional transparency, and the efficiency of executive processes toward sustainable and smart development of rural tourism destinations. Accordingly, the present study aims to contribute new insights to the emerging field of smart tourism destination governance by analyzing residents’ perceptions of smart governance components in rural tourism destinations. The research employed a descriptive–analytical method. Ten tourism-targeted villages in Qom province were investigated. Data were collected through a survey method using a researcher-made questionnaire. The current status of the “level of smart governance in rural tourism destinations” was quantitatively assessed based on the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) model, encompassing eight dimensions and 33 indicators measured on a Likert scale. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21027.html This research aims to identify the dimensions of MTEs within the context of ecolodges in Isfahan County. The study employs a descriptive-analytical survey method using an exploratory mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, the dimensions of tourists' memorable experiences in ecolodges were identified through thematic analysis. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 17 tourists who had stayed in ecolodges, employing purposive , and were analyzed using MAXQDA software. In total, 31 codes, 7 categories, and 3 themes were identified. Then, a questionnaire based on the extracted codes was designed to validate the structure and distributed among 310 tourists. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and exploratory factor analysis. The results revealed that MTEs in ecolodges possess a seven-dimensional structure comprising: “authenticity of local and traditional Life,” “local sensory pleasures,” “sense of novelty and escape from daily routine,” “social interaction and learning,” “sustainability experience,” “nostalgic sense,” and “memory perpetuation.” https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20942.html Coopetition, defined as the simultaneous engagement in cooperation and competition among rivals, has become a key approach to value creation in the hospitality industry. This study addresses a theoretical gap in marketing mix design within coopetitive environments by developing an integrative framework. Using an inductive qualitative methodology, the research analyzes twelve prominent hospitality cases through a multiple‑case study approach. The findings introduce the coopetitive marketing mix model (7Co‑o-M‑M), consisting of seven interconnected dimensions: co‑agreements, co‑resources, co‑product, co‑distribution, co‑promotion, co‑pricing, and co‑customer orientation. These dimensions operate within a hierarchical structure where co‑agreements and co‑resources serve as foundational enablers that strengthen operational components. This interaction ultimately leads to coordinated pricing as a systemic outcome, while co‑customer orientation emerges as a synergistic consequence. By extending marketing logic from the firm to the ecosystem level, this study provides a comprehensive empirical model to guide managerial decision‑making and advance future research on coopetitive marketing strategies. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21149.html Dark tourism, focuses on visits to destinations associated with death, disaster, and suffering. This study employed scientometric analysis and thematic clustering to examine patterns, research gaps, and emerging topics. The dataset comprised 1,293 sources (books, articles, and book chapters) from Scopus (1988–2025), analyzed using VOSviewer for keyword co-occurrence mapping. Findings revealed that "dark tourism," "cultural heritage," and "death" exhibited the highest frequency and link strength. Temporal keyword overlap revealed evolving trends, with concepts such as sustainability, collective memory, and well-being gaining prominence after 2020. Existing research predominantly focuses on specific events while neglecting cross-destination comparisons. Major gaps include a shortage of qualitative studies, insufficient attention to ethical and environmental dimensions, and the limited role of digital technology. Emerging themes encompass dark tourism in the digital age, climate change impacts, mental health, human rights, and urbanization. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20900.html The lack of use of ecotourism capacities in Iran, despite numerous biological, cultural and historical attractions, has caused a waste of national capital. The aim of this research is to identify the weaknesses and challenges between ecotourism centers, digital marketing and media advertising in order to strengthen the tourist attraction process. The research was conducted with a qualitative approach and data-based theory. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 experts using purposive sampling and analyzed with open, axial and selective coding. Reliability of 0.76 and convergent validity were confirmed. The findings introduced three new components of “media meta-reality”, “media design for interaction” and “interaction enrichment” to the digital marketing communication model. The proposed model can lead to outcomes such as increased tourist satisfaction, enhanced word-of-mouth marketing, increased interaction on social media, and improved tourist return rates, the quantitative validation of which is recommended for future research. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21147.html Tourism plays a role in economic growth. in certainty, tourism is more stable. in uncertainty, fluctuations in tourist behavior increase. This study examines the impact of uncertainty on demand in Iran, utilizing data from the years 2011 to 2024 and employing a fuzzy regression approach. The model estimates right, middle, and left fuzzy spreads for each variable. it considers inflation, GDP growth, GDP per capita, political stability, financial balance, trade openness, financial development index, and democracy. Results show that political stability (0.746), trade openness (0.113), GDP growth (1.142e-09), and inflation (0.53) affect religious tourism demand. For non-religious tourism, trade openness with a fuzzy coefficient of (5.01e-11), followed by GDP growth (3.98e-11) and per capita GDP (4.255e-11), are identified as the most important factors affecting demand. inflation (1.45e-10), political stability (0.808) and trade openness(5.01e-11) show different impacts. Findings highlight the importance of managing uncertainty to achieve tourism development. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20535.html This study aims to explore the role of blockchain technology in personalizing guest experience in Tehran hotels. The research is applied in purpose and qualitative in nature, conducted through a meta-synthesis method based on Sandelowski and Barroso’s (2003) framework. A systematic search led to the selection of 62 articles out of 500 initial records. Additionally, 13 semi-structured interviews with hotel managers, blockchain experts, and tourism professionals were conducted using purposive sampling. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s approach supported by NVivo. The results show that blockchain, through perceptual–emotional, technological, and structural–process dimensions, enhances trust, security, service efficiency, and alignment with individual preferences. Despite challenges such as high implementation costs and unclear regulations, gradual blockchain adoption can create personalized services and provide competitive advantages for Tehran hotels. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20934.html Water-based tourism, relying on water resources and infrastructures, can enhance regional economic diversification, job creation, and sustainable development, particularly in arid areas. South Khorasan Province, despite water scarcity, contains diverse water-related attractions, many of which remain underutilized. This study aims to identify key indicators for water tourism potential and prioritize suitable areas using a fuzzy approach and Fuzzy TOPSIS. Data were collected through document review, official statistics, field visits, and consultation with 30 experts. Six priority areas were identified: land at the beginning of Amirshah Road, Nahreen Reservoir, Farkhi Reservoir, Dig Rostam Hot Spring, Gavab Natural Pond in Khusf, and Siahu Reservoir. The findings provide a scientific basis for planning, guiding investment, and promoting targeted development of water tourism in the province and other arid regions. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21195.html This study addresses a critical research gap by identifying and prioritizing the key success factors (KSFs) for developing Iran's medical tourism sector within the unique constraint of international sanctions. Employing a robust hybrid methodology—fuzzy Delphi for expert consensus and the DANP model for causal analysis—the research integrates insights from industry experts and hospital managers. It identifies five pivotal KSFs: medical infrastructure, healthcare service quality, impact of sanctions, branding and marketing, and patient networks. Crucially, the analysis reveals medical infrastructure as the most influential dimension, exerting the greatest causal power on the system. A key finding is that indigenous strategies can mitigate some negative impacts of sanctions. The study provides an integrated strategic framework, emphasizing infrastructure strengthening and factor synergy, to guide policymakers and managers in resource allocation and strategy formulation for sustainable sector growth under complex geopolitical conditions. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20098.html This study aims to identify emerging tourism types, key trends, and novel concepts related to the development of Iran's tourism market, particularly after the pandemic. The research adopts a qualitative, interpretive-inductive approach based on a systematic literature review covering the period from 2014 to 2025. Keyword searches were conducted in reputable databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, complemented by AI-based semantic searches. Out of 11,032 articles, after screening, 53 articles were selected using the SPAR-4-SLR scientific framework and coded thematically. Findings revealed that emerging tourism types include sustainable and environmental tourism, digital-smart tourism, health and medical tourism, cultural-religious tourism, experiential tourism, niche and thematic tourism, innovative community-based tourism, and geo-tourism. Important trends identified include digitalization, increased attention to health, domestic tourism, bleisure tourism, slow tourism, spiritual tourism, and co-creation. Accordingly, the development of Iran’s tourism market requires acceptance and adaptation to these emerging types and trends. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20608.html The aim of this study is to present a systematic model of the application of smart technologies in pilgrimage destinations. The research was conducted using a meta-synthesis method based on the Sandelowski and Barroso protocol. For this purpose, 18 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025 were selected from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that the application of smart technologies can be categorized into three levels: micro, meso, and macro. At the micro level, technology facilitates travel, personalizes experiences, and enhances pilgrim satisfaction, while potentially weakening spiritual aspects and individualizing pilgrimage practices. At the meso level, technology functions as an essential tool for crowd management, safety enhancement, and service improvement. At the macro level, it can support economic development, equitable access, and transnational interactions, but may also alter the essence of pilgrimage and diminish its spiritual dimensions. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_20674.html The present study was conducted with the aim of proposing a model for designing war tourism accommodation centers with an emphasis on the values of the Sacred Defense. This research is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative with an exploratory approach. Data were collected and analyzed using thematic analysis. The participant group included experts and experienced individuals in the field of war tourism, relevant managers, university professors active in this area, war-tour guides, and narrators of war memorial sites. A total of 18 participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. T The findings identified five main categories influencing the development of war tourism accommodation centers based on the values of the Sacred Defense: infrastructural factors, managerial factors, value-based factors, education and awareness-raising, and environmental factors. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21000.html The tourism sector is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries globally. Given the significance of the tourism industry, exploring the factors that attract inbound tourism has consistently intrigued researchers. In this context, examining the role of economic freedom in the development of the tourism sector is crucial in the literature. Accordingly, this study aimed to analyze the impact of economic freedom on tourism development in selected member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) during the period from 2006 to 2020, utilizing the Panel Vector Auto Regression (PVAR) approach. The results indicate that the influence of economic freedom on tourism development is both positive and significant. Therefore, policymakers should prioritize enhancing economic freedom as a strategy to bolster the tourism industry by increasing the inflow of international tourists https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21055.html Technological developments and the expansion of social networks in recent years have transformed traditional patterns of trust and legitimacy in the tourism industry, paving the way for the emergence of the concept of digital credibility (validation) of tourism destinations. In this framework, the legitimacy of destinations is no longer shaped solely through official institutions or organizational advertising, but is reproduced within the context of digital interactions and user perceptions. The aim of this study is to explain the role of social networks in the digital credibility of tourism destinations, emphasizing the mediating role of destination mental image. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of methodology, using a quantitative approach and structural equation modeling. The statistical population consists of Iranian sports tourists who used social networks to gather information for travel to the northwest region of Iran in 2025 (1404 Persian calendar). https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21111.html This study aimed to design a model for developing a marine-oriented economy with a tourism approach in Kish Island. The research employed an applied-developmental, exploratory mixed-methods design. The sample comprised 12 experts (6 theoretical and 6 practical), selected via purposive sampling. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory approach with MAXQDA software. Subsequently, research indicators were screened using the Fuzzy Delphi method and MATLAB software. Findings revealed that causal conditions (marine competitiveness, investment capacity, governance requirements, and ecological sustainability) influence the central phenomenon (marine economic development strategy). This central phenomenon, alongside contextual conditions (institutional-legal and socio-cultural contexts) and intervening conditions (environmental-structural constraints), shapes strategies and actions (marine tourism destination development strategy). Ultimately, these strategies lead to outcomes including economic value creation, socio-governance transformation, and ecological sustainability. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21112.html Tourism, a significant form of cultural consumption, reflects various economic, social, and cultural factors. Drawing on an integrated framework of Bourdieu’s theory of distinction, social exchange, and the experience economy, this study examined the role of economic and cultural capital in shaping travel patterns. A quantitative survey design was employed. The population consisted of adult citizens nationwide, from whom a sample of 1,147 individuals across 31 provinces was selected through multi-stage sampling. Data collected via a researcher-designed questionnaire were analyzed using statistical tests. Findings showed respondents’ travel patterns were predominantly domestic, family-oriented, and reliant on private vehicles. Significant relationships were observed between capital levels and destination type, transport, and accommodation, with higher capital individuals opting for more diverse trips and formal services. Overall, tourism behavior reflects social position and access to resources, suggesting that addressing inequalities may contribute to more equitable travel opportunities. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21117.html the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the mechanisms affecting of perceived organizational obstruction in tourism and hospitality businesses. This is an applied-developmental study in terms of purpose and a qualitative in terms of method, and was conducted using the grounded theory method. The participants are employees of the tourism and hospitality industry in Fars province and the necessary data were collected through interviews , The findings show that individuals' attitudes and perceptions, weak skills and behaviors, managers' characteristics and actions, and the weakness of the organization's human resources management system are causes of perceived organizational obstruction in tourism and hospitality businesses. In addition, the expectation gap of employees, the prevalence of anti-citizenship behaviors in the organization, the structural characteristics of the organization, the cultural characteristics of the organization, and the characteristics of jobs and work tasks also create the context for the formation of this phenomenon. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21140.html Today, intelligent technologies have transformed tourism spaces and expanded tourists’ environmental perception. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing environmental perception in smart tourism spaces and to present an integrated framework explaining its formation mechanisms. The research was conducted using the Sandelowski and Barroso meta-synthesis method based on articles published between 1400 and 1404 in Persian sources and 2021 to 2025 in English sources. In total, 31 articles were systematically selected, and the data were analyzed through systematic information extraction and open and axial coding. The findings showed that tourists’ environmental perception is influenced by eight main categories: technological perception of the smart environment, interactive and digital perception, cognitive and informational perception, experience-based perception, sensory-spatial perception, psychological and emotional perception, social and managerial perception of the destination, and value-based and behavioral outcomes. The study offers a conceptual framework explaining the interaction of perceptual, sensory, and technological factors. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21151.html The aim of this research is to adapt and develop the Customer Experience Quality (EXQ) model in leisure spaces with an emphasis on gender dimensions. The research method was mixed. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data with ten experts. In the quantitative stage, data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire from a sample size of 221 customers of female cafes in the IranShahr neighborhood of Tehran. The data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Therefore, the EXQ model was expanded from 4 dimensions to 8 dimensions in the context of cafes and in the field of female customers. This model can be used to improve the planning and management of female customer experience in cafes. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21226.html This study aims to model the causal relationships among multisensory stimuli, spatial–architectural attributes, perceptual–emotional components, socio-cultural factors, and place attachment in the historic fabric of Yazd. The research is applied in purpose and exploratory in strategy, using the fuzzy cognitive mapping method. Data were collected through the judgments of 17 experts, and 15 concepts were identified within four analytical layers. The findings show that the final network contains 52 direct relationships with a density of 0.248. “Indigenous materials and construction methods,” “inward-oriented spatial organization,” and “sense of authenticity and identity” had the highest centrality scores. The simulation results further indicate that the erosion of spatial–architectural and socio-cultural layers has the strongest negative effect on place attachment. The study concludes that strengthening place attachment in Yazd requires the simultaneous preservation of material authenticity, spatial coherence, cultural meaning, and social interaction. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21305.html The topic of education and interpretation is one of the fundamental strategies in the development of geotourism. This research aimed to analyze interpretation and education methods and tools in geotourism and assess their impacts, and given the multitude of international studies in this field, a systematic literature review approach was used to achieve this goal. Articles published in the Scopus database from 2004 to 2026 that were related to interpretation and education in geotourism were extracted and screened and pruned using the PRISMA framework, ultimately leading to the selection of 23 articles for final analysis. The results indicate that interpretation methods were a combination of physical and digital methods and interpretation centers, but in terms of scientific simplification, appeal, and attention to sustainability, they did not have much quality. However, they had positive impacts on increasing tourists' knowledge and the subject of conservation. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21338.html The present study aims to design and elucidate an antifragility pattern for cultural creative industries (CCIs), with a specific focus on Iranian eco-lodges. This research was conducted within an exploratory qualitative framework, employing a Grounded Theory strategy and gathering data through semi-structured interviews. The research population comprised eco-lodge managers and entrepreneurs with at least three years of experience. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were utilized, resulting in 12 interviews across 8 provinces, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data analysis was performed through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding using MAXQDA software (version 2024). Initial validation of relationships was conducted via the "quantitative content analysis" technique and Pearson correlation. Based on the qualitative analysis, 35 theoretical hypotheses were proposed. The final model revealed that Iranian eco-lodges, by relying cultural and intellectual capital in response to environmental turbulence, develop antifragility capabilities and achieve sustainability. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21357.html The attractiveness of many tourist destinations worldwide is directly linked to the synchronization of tourist visits with the peak aesthetic phases of seasonal phenological events, especially changes in plant coloration. the present study investigates the role of color changes associated with the phenological stages of plane trees in Pahlavanpour Garden with the aim of developing an optimal nature tourism calendar. The research employed both descriptive and quantitative approaches, utilizing a photographic time-series method. The results revealed that in early spring newly emerged leaves exhibited a green coloration, whereas during October, November, and December the transition of leaf color from green to yellow and brown generated a richer and more diverse color spectrum Quantitative analysis of color variation indicated that the leaf color transition period lasted approximately two months and twenty days, suggesting a sufficiently long-time window for tourist visitation and nature-based recreational activities. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21398.html This study was conducted to elucidate the role of creative tourism dimensions in shaping tourists’ transformative experiences. Within the theoretical framework, active participation, authenticity of experience, personal development, and social interaction were considered as key components of creative tourism to examine how they influence tourists’ individual transformative processes. The research is applied in purpose and descriptive–analytical in method. Data were collected through a survey using a researcher-designed questionnaire administered to tourists. The statistical population consisted of tourists visiting Mazandaran with creative motivations, and convenience sampling was employed. The collected data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the relationships between variables.The findings revealed that creative tourism plays a significant role in shaping transformative experiences, with all four dimensions contributing to enhancing various aspects of these experiences. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21480.html This study addresses the instability of health tourism development when value-chain logic and human resource considerations are overlooked, as added pressure on medical staff can threaten service quality and continuity. The aim is to explain the optimal mechanism of health tourism emphasizing medical staff retention in Isfahan. Using a qualitative, exploratory thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 58 experts in health, tourism, and migration in Isfahan, selected via purposive sampling until theoretical saturation. Findings indicate that this optimal mechanism can be explained through five interconnected main themes operating within a two-layer dynamic system that interact bidirectionally to enhance the health services value chain. The resulting model positions health human capital not as a peripheral input but as a generative pillar of the health tourism value chain, providing a basis for policy-making and urban planning aimed at simultaneously developing health tourism and retaining healthcare professionals in Isfahan. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21529.html This study aimed to explain the effect of tourists’ digital capabilities, including access to information and communication technology and digital literacy, on destination image through the mediating role of tourism experience quality. The study is applied in purpose and descriptive-correlational and survey-based in method. The statistical population comprised tourists visiting the cultural landscape of Meymand, from whom 463 valid questionnaires were collected using convenience sampling. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling using the partial least squares approach in SmartPLS. The findings showed that access to technology and digital literacy have positive and significant effects on tourism experience quality, and that experience quality also enhances destination image. However, the direct effect of technology access on destination image was not significant, while the direct effect of digital literacy was negative and significant. Thus, digital capabilities improve destination image only when they enhance tourists’ experiences. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21704.html Nature-based tourism development in protected areas, if inconsistent with environmental capacity, can increase pressure on natural resources and reduce landscape ecological performance. This study aimed to assess nature-based tourism potential and landscape ecological performance in the Qalikuh Protected Area. Tourism potential was evaluated using physical, biological, landscape, and socio-economic criteria, weighted and standardized through multi-criteria decision-making and fuzzy logic. Potential areas were classified into five classes, from very low to very high, within extensive and concentrated tourism zones. ECI, EFA, and BEI were calculated and compared for 2010 and 2025. Landscape-related criteria received the highest weights, while natural landscapes and attractions were the most influential indicators. About 88% of the extensive and 94% of the concentrated zone had low to moderate tourism potential. ECI and EFA declined, whereas BEI increased, indicating reduced landscape ecological connectivity and performance. Sustainable tourism should prioritize ecological capacity, controlled use, corridor protection, and conservation-compatible activities. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21746.html This study examines the relationship between the environmental awareness, attitude, and behaviors of tourists in the natural attractions of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. The present study was conducted as a descriptive-survey and cross-sectional study, and data were collected from 330 tourists to six natural attractions using a questionnaire and convenience sampling. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and PLS software using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings indicated high levels of awareness, positive attitudes, and favorable environmental behaviors among most tourists . The results showed that environmental awareness, attitude, and behavior have a direct impact on tourist satisfaction by 17%, 44%, and 18%, respectively. Also, awareness and attitude had an impact on environmental behavior by 28% and 61%, respectively, which highlights the role of attitude as the strongest predictor of behavior. The findings emphasize the need to combine educational and persuasive strategies to promote sustainable tourism in natural destinations. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21815.html The hotel industry is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions due to its high energy consumption and dependence on upstream supply chains. This study estimated the direct and indirect carbon footprint per one billion Iranian rials of hotel activity, identified key supply chain sectors, and optimized emission reduction under budget constraints. A quantitative descriptive–analytical approach was applied using Iran’s 38-sector input–output table, the national energy balance, and the 2019 IPCC emission factors. Carbon emissions were estimated through environmentally extended input–output analysis (EEIOA), while optimization results were validated using the genetic algorithm and interior-point method. The findings show that the hotel industry’s carbon footprint is dominated by indirect emissions from energy-intensive upstream sectors, with the food manufacturing and electricity sectors providing the greatest mitigation potential. The optimal solution also lies on the Pareto frontier, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed optimization framework. https://tms.atu.ac.ir/article_21819.html This study explores online bookers’ subjective experiences when encountering idealized representations of accommodation and tourism destinations and identifies the existential themes emerging from such interactions. Adopting a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm, the study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using photo/video elicitation techniques. Analysis of interviews with 27 participants yielded five main themes and eleven sub-themes: idealism (inflated expectations and changing aesthetic preferences), identity meaning-making (social comparison, ideal self-construction, and preference alignment), perceptual duality (doubt and trust/distrust), emotional-cognitive engagement (attention and emotional stimulation), and negative emotional-psychological responses (psychological pressure and unpleasant feelings). Comparative analysis revealed a significant process shaping users’ interpretation and perception of idealized promotional content. Findings indicate that idealized tourism advertising profoundly influences online bookers’ mental experiences and highlight the importance of greater transparency in advertising to reduce negative effects.