The power of morality: The effect of moral appeals on tourists’ attitudes in rural tourism destinations

Rural tourism has become an important tool for rural-revitalization and poverty alleviation, which has been increasingly framed as a moral narrative in public discourse. However, destination marketing often prioritizes utilitarian attributes while overlooking the role of moral appeals. Drawing on affective events theory, this study employs two experiments to examine the effects of moral appeals on tourists' attitudes, the underlying mechanism, and boundary conditions. The findings reveal that moral appeals significantly enhance tourists' visit intention and perceived value of rural destinations, with anticipated guilt mediating this relationship. Notably, these effects are more pronounced in low-quality destinations than in high-quality ones. Specifically, in rural destinations with low quality, high-intensity moral appeals are more effective than low-intensity ones in enhancing tourists’ visit intention and perceived value. This study contributes to the literature on rural tourism marketing and highlights the strategic value of moral appeals, particularly for rural destinations with limited resources.