Short answer

Focus on creating compelling visual content and experiences that foster lasting memories, and segment your audience to deliver tailored messages that align with their specific interests and response patterns.

Field
User-Centred Design
Source
Sustainability (2025)
Method
Quantitative research using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA).
Sample
653 participants
Evidence
Strong effect

In promoting heritage sites, visually appealing design elements are the most direct influence on user recommendation, with the formation of destination memory being the primary mechanism through which other factors like narrative and authenticity exert their impact. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Sustainability. Using Quantitative research using structural equation modeling (sem) and multi-group analysis (mga). with 653 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus on creating compelling visual content and experiences that foster lasting memories, and segment your audience to deliver tailored messages that align with their specific interests and response patterns.

Study
User-Centred DesignNew This WeekStrong effect

Visual Appeal is the Strongest Driver of Heritage Recommendation, Mediated by Memory

In promoting heritage sites, visually appealing design elements are the most direct influence on user recommendation, with the formation of destination memory being the primary mechanism through which other factors like narrative and authenticity exert their impact.

Sustainability · 2025

01

Key Findings

  • 01Visual Sensory Appeal (VSA) was a strong direct predictor of Intention to Recommend (IR).
  • 02Emotional Engagement (EE) and Destination Memory (DM) positively predicted IR.
  • 03Destination Memory (DM) was a more significant mediator than Emotional Engagement (EE) for the influence of narrative and authenticity on recommendation intention.
  • 04Different demographic and interest groups showed distinct preferences for promotional approaches (e.g., women favored visual and authenticity, men used narrative and authenticity-to-memory pathways).
02

Application

Design takeaway

Focus on creating compelling visual content and experiences that foster lasting memories, and segment your audience to deliver tailored messages that align with their specific interests and response patterns.

How to apply

When designing digital campaigns for heritage sites, invest heavily in high-resolution imagery and video. Develop interactive elements or storytelling techniques that encourage users to actively engage and form vivid memories. Use demographic data to personalize content delivery.

Project actions

  • 01When designing promotional materials for a heritage site, consider how visual elements can be used to create an immediate impact.
  • 02Think about how to design an experience or narrative that helps users form a lasting memory of the site.
  • 03Explore how different user groups might respond to various design approaches (e.g., visual vs. narrative).
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow do sensory appeal, narrative immersion, and perceived authenticity in digital heritage promotion influence user recommendations, and what is the role of emotional engagement and memory in this process?
MethodQuantitative research using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA).
ProcedureA cross-sectional online survey collected data from 653 participants on their perceptions of heritage site digital promotions, their emotional engagement, memory of the destination, and their intention to recommend it. SEM was used to model the relationships between variables, and MGA was employed to examine how these relationships differ across various demographic and interest groups.
Sample653 participants
ContextDigital promotion of heritage destinations.

Variables

IV["Visual Sensory Appeal (VSA)","Narrative Immersion (NI)","Perceived Authenticity (PA)"]
DV["Emotional Engagement (EE)","Destination Memory (DM)","Intention to Recommend (IR)"]
CV["Gender","Age","Education level","Recent contact with heritage","Cultural-travel frequency","Interest in preservation","Prior heritage experience","Technology use"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Employs robust statistical modeling (SEM, MGA) to analyze complex relationships.
  • +Investigates multiple influential factors (sensory, narrative, authenticity, emotion, memory).
  • +Examines heterogeneity across diverse user segments.

Limitations

Self-reported data can be subjective. The study's focus on digital promotion might not fully capture the impact of physical site experiences. Generalizing findings across vastly different heritage types requires caution.

Reliability & validity

The use of SEM and MGA provides a robust framework for assessing the reliability and validity of the proposed model. The large sample size and detailed analysis of heterogeneity contribute to the study's validity.

Think critically

While visual appeal is identified as a strong predictor, to what extent can it compensate for a lack of authenticity or a poor user experience at the actual heritage site?

05

Design Principles

"The 'Sensory-Memory-Advocacy' principle: Design for strong sensory appeal to create memorable experiences, which in turn drives user advocacy."

This research highlights the critical role of sensory and memory-based design in shaping user advocacy for heritage destinations. Understanding these pathways allows designers and marketers to create more effective communication strategies that resonate with diverse audience segments.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Make heritage sites look really good online, and help people remember them. This is the best way to get them to tell their friends about it. Different people like different things, so change your approach for different groups.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of visual design and memory in user engagement for heritage or cultural projects.
  • 2.Use the findings to justify design choices related to aesthetics and narrative in your promotional materials.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research by Balaskas et al. (2025) provides valuable insights into the drivers of user recommendation for heritage destinations. Their findings indicate that visual appeal is a primary stimulus, directly influencing users' intention to recommend. Crucially, the study highlights the mediating role of destination memory, suggesting that effective heritage promotion should focus on creating memorable experiences that foster lasting impressions. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of segmenting audiences, as different demographic and interest groups respond to varied promotional strategies, such as visual, narrative, or authenticity-focused approaches.

09

Source

Sustainability

Neurotourism Aspects in Heritage Destinations: Modeling the Impact of Sensory Appeal on Affective Experience, Memory, and Recommendation Intention

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about visual appeal is the strongest driver of heritage recommendation, mediated by memory?
Focus on creating compelling visual content and experiences that foster lasting memories, and segment your audience to deliver tailored messages that align with their specific interests and response patterns. Evidence: Sustainability (2025).
Why does "Visual Appeal is the Strongest Driver of Heritage Recommendation, Mediated by Memory" matter for design?
This research highlights the critical role of sensory and memory-based design in shaping user advocacy for heritage destinations. Understanding these pathways allows designers and marketers to create more effective communication strategies that resonate with diverse audience segments.
How can designers apply this research?
Focus on creating compelling visual content and experiences that foster lasting memories, and segment your audience to deliver tailored messages that align with their specific interests and response patterns.
What were the main findings?
Visual Sensory Appeal (VSA) was a strong direct predictor of Intention to Recommend (IR).. Emotional Engagement (EE) and Destination Memory (DM) positively predicted IR.. Destination Memory (DM) was a more significant mediator than Emotional Engagement (EE) for the influence of narrative and authenticity on recommendation intention.. Different demographic and interest groups showed distinct preferences for promotional approaches (e.g., women favored visual and authenticity, men used narrative and authenticity-to-memory pathways).
What research method was used?
Quantitative research using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). with 653 participants.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Sustainability.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing digital campaigns for heritage sites, invest heavily in high-resolution imagery and video. Develop interactive elements or storytelling techniques that encourage users to actively engage and form vivid memories. Use demographic data to personalize content delivery.
What are the limitations?
The study relies on self-reported data, which can be subject to biases. The findings are based on a cross-sectional design, limiting causal inferences. The specific digital platforms and heritage sites studied may influence generalizability.