Can fans’ idol worship be converted into travel intention? Evidence from Chinese concert goers

After the passage of the pandemic, identifying effective ways to allure tourists to visit/revisit destinations becomes a new challenge to destination marketing offices. Organizing events and particularly inviting celebrities/idols to organize concerts in the destination is one frequently used practice since fans/followers tend to have higher willingness to spend on merchandise or events associated with their idols. This study (1) examines the impact of fans’ idol worship on travel intention and (2) examines whether this relationship is moderated by three contextual factors. Drawing on the survey data provided by 167 respondents, this study finds that fan’s idol worship induces a positive impact on their travel intention. This positive impact is more pronounced when the idol is rated as more popular (according to his/her volume of fan and level of achievement) and when the concert is set to be held in a more attractive destination.