Feeling travel photographs: Emotional labelling in machine-generated semantic differentials

Abstract The pervasive rise of social media has placed visual content, especially photographs, at the forefront of digital marketing in tourism. As marketers strategically leverage emotionally resonant content on platforms, this research explores the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian dimensions embedded in pictorial representations and their impact on user engagement in tourism. By utilising a machine-generated semantic differential, this study analyses 33,001 picture-based posts from popular destinations on Instagram. The findings of this study reveal that user engagement dynamics vary across themes, with multimodal excursions (e.g., modes of transportation) emphasising informativeness over fun and thrill, while art and sculpture benefit from the integration of functionality. By using an interdisciplinary approach, this research explores the emotional connotations of visual content on the engagement of potential tourists. Overall, this paper underscores the importance of tailoring content strategies to specific thematic contexts and challenges preconceived notions about the universal appeal of certain pictorial elements.