Discovering the distribution of attention in destination marketing using 360° video: the eye-tracking study

Virtual tours in 360° video format are a modern way to destination marketing. The relevance of the study of innovative ways of promoting territories is determined by the process of digitalization of the economy and the high prevalence of digital communications. The scientific problem addressed in this study is to examine the effectiveness of 360° video in the marketing of territories in order to determine its impact on consumers and assess the emotional attitude to the territory. The present study used eye-tracking technology to analyze patterns of attention distribution, which are related to the level of knowledge about territories, while watching a 360° video showcasing to these territories. The scientific novelty of this study is a consideration of attention distribution features using eye-tracking technology while watching a 360° video in the context of territory marketing. The sample consisted of 30 students from Switzerland and Russia and the study was conducted in two countries. The objective of the study was to identify differences in eye movements when watching a 360° video in groups of people with different degrees of awareness of Switzerland. The results showed that the average duration per fixation was significantly longer in the Russian group, as was the degree of cognitive load, compared to the Swiss group. The Swiss group required more time to fixate their gaze on large objects, while the amount of the objects which were observed significantly decreased in both groups in the last part of the video. The results of the study can be used as recommendations for the creation and effective use of 360° video in the marketing of territories.