Warmth and Competence in Country Stereotypes:

This study focuses on tourists from long-haul non-Asian countries and aims to examine how country stereotypes are formed and how they influence travel intentions toward Japan.In particular, we conceptualize country stereotypes along two dimensions̶warmth and competence̶and investigate how these dimensions are modified by past visitation to Japan, as well as how their effects on travel intentions differ across developed and emerging markets.In Study 1, using data collected from four non-Asian countries, we examine the relationship between past visitation to Japan and country stereotypes.The results show that past visitation increases perceptions of warmth more strongly than perceptions of competence.In Study 2, we conduct a cross-national comparative analysis of consumers from a developed market (the UK) and an emerging market (Mexico).The findings indicate that warmth is a stronger determinant of travel intentions in the developed-market context, whereas competence is a stronger driver in the emerging-market context.By offering a more nuanced understanding of country stereotypes and travel intentions, this study contributes to the international marketing literature and provides useful implications for business managers and policymakers in the international tourism industry.