Guiding safety : the persuasiveness of semantic framing by tourism service employees

Abstract

Guiding tourist safety behaviour is pivotal in destination management. This study utilises Semantic Frame Theory (SFT) and Social Information Processing Theory (SIPT) to explore how the interaction between the semantic framing (suggestive vs. assertive) of service employees and tourism activity type (low-intensity vs. high-intensity) influences tourist safety behaviour. Four scenario-based experiments revealed that an assertive semantic frame paired with high-intensity activities increases perceived dependency, leading to greater safety behaviour. In contrast, suggestive semantic frames in low-intensity activities reduce perceived control, prompting compensatory safety behaviours. This research enriches the literature on semantic framing within the tourism domain and provides insights for formulating effective tourism safety communication strategies.