Semiotic analysis of metaverse digital humans and cultural communication

Purpose The research aimed to explain the cultural communication process within the framework of a triadic symbol model and identify the implications for cultural tourism. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a qualitative research approach, integrating content analysis and semiotic analysis. Storytelling was employed as an explanatory framework to illustrate how Chinese culture is interpreted within the communication process. Findings The study found that cultural communication is based on influential symbols or social signs. Digital humans can serve as significant cultural symbols. Moreover, cultural communication is a storytelling process cocreated by producers, digital humans and interpreters, including story building, story transporting, story empathizing and story coconstructing. Research limitations/implications This study is an exploratory application of Peircean semiotics to cultural communication through digital humans. Practical implications This study suggests that cultural storytelling by digital humans may serve as a powerful marketing communication tool. Originality/value This paper highlights the important role of digital humans in tourism destination marketing. It advances the application of Peircean semiotics in the metaverse context, thus providing new insights for cultural tourism research.