Seeing Is Believing: The Role of Visual Content in Shaping Tourist Engagement and Attachment

ABSTRACT Despite the widespread use of user‐generated content (UGC) in both research and practice, its role in shaping consumer responses within the tourism sector particularly in relation to tourism offerings remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of UGC and destination attributes on customer engagement and place attachment, with a specific focus on rural tourism in emerging markets where access to technology is limited. A three‐stage, time‐lagged survey was conducted using systematic random sampling to ensure representativeness. Various statistical techniques were applied to analyze the data. The findings reveal that UGC attributes significantly affect tourists' engagement and attachment, with certain dimensions exerting stronger influence than others. Notably, tourist engagement is closely linked to their access to UGC, including social media content. This research provides valuable insights for tourism practitioners seeking to enhance customer engagement and place attachment through strategic content creation and consumption in the digital era.