From virtual interaction to actual reservation: exerting the effect of trust-image transfer mechanism in tourism livestreaming

Tourism livestreaming (TLS) has emerged as a powerful marketing tool, yet factors driving actual behavior are unclear. From a resource exchange perspective, this study explores how users’ information processing styles influence their reservation intention, employing the cognitive–affective system theory. Analyzing 337 valid samples via PLS-SEM, this research demonstrates that social support boosts reservation intention both directly and indirectly, mediated by the dual-processing mechanism of cognitive and affective trust, as well as chain-mediated by the destinations’ overall image. In addition, platform reputation positively moderates the relationship between cognitive trust and reservation intention. The study innovatively proposes a trust-image transfer mechanism designed to enhance actual behavior in TLS and explores its boundary condition, providing practical guidance for destination marketing organizations to shape destination image by building trust and emphasizing platform reputation to enhance the effect of consumers’ cognitive trust. In general, this study offers a forward-looking outlook for sustainable tourism.