Managing Consumer Attention to Sustainability Cues in Tourism Advertising: Insights from Eye-Tracking Research

Sustainable tourism requires balancing environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability, yet its effective promotion depends on communication strategies that genuinely capture travelers’ attention. Despite growing emphasis on ecological responsibility in marketing, little is known about how sustainability-related content in tourism advertising is actually perceived. This study addresses this gap by examining visual attention to eco-oriented elements in promotional materials through eye-tracking technology. The research aimed to identify whether ecological certifications, slogans, and related cues attract attention and influence consumer choices, and to assess how these processes are moderated by individual ecological awareness. An experimental design was conducted with 23 young adults (aged 18–22) who viewed three tourism offers differing in their degree of sustainability messaging. Eye movements were recorded with the Gazepoint GP3 HD eye-tracker, focusing on predefined Areas of Interest (AOIs), including ecological certificates, pricing, and imagery. Heatmaps and fixation metrics were complemented by a post-exposure questionnaire. The results indicate that visually dominant components such as destination images and pricing consistently attracted the most attention, while sustainability cues were noticed but rarely prioritized. Participants with higher ecological awareness actively sought and recalled these elements, highlighting the moderating role of intrinsic motivation. The study contributes to both sustainable tourism and neuromarketing research by demonstrating how ecological values interact with perceptual behavior. Practically, it shows that eye-tracking can guide the optimal placement and design of sustainability cues in advertising. The exploratory nature and small, homogeneous sample are acknowledged as limitations, but they provide a valuable foundation for future large-scale studies.