.jpg "Source: CUHK via Shutterstock. Romance encourages impulse buying.")
Research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has linked romance-themed storytelling and the increased likelihood of making impulsive purchases.
Highlights of the research include:
- Tourists exposed to romance-themed storytelling are more prone to impulsive buying compared to those in non-romantic settings.
- The effect is driven by a reduced sense of personal control that stems from an internalised belief that "romance is uncontrollable".
= Colour plays a crucial role: blue backgrounds enhance the impulsive buying tendency in romantic settings, while red backgrounds mitigate it.
The study, led by Professor Lisa Wan Chun-ying of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at CUHK Business School, could present new opportunities for tourism marketers to enhance visitor experiences and boost consumer spending, the university said.
Titled Harnessing romance: The effect of exposure to romance-themed attractions on tourists’ impulsive buying and published in Tourism Management, the 2023 study involved 820 participants. Some participants were shown images of a medieval bridge which came with a love story, while others were told a romance-neutral story about friendship related to the bridge. Those exposed to the romance theme were more likely to make impulsive purchases compared to those under the non-romantic condition.