Xu, Ding, Wu, Xuanjin, Chen, Tingzhen, and Pu, Wei (2025) Unpacking tourism blind boxes: consumer experiences and purchase drivers? Current Issues in Tourism. (In Press)

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Abstract

Tourism blind boxes represent tourism products–typically hotel, airline, and package tours–that are purchased without knowing their exact nature or details. Despite its continuous expansion in size and scope worldwide, little is understood about the overall experiences of consuming tourism blind boxes. This study adopted a qualitative design, combining online comments and in-depth interviews, to obtain a comprehensive understanding. The analysis suggests five features of the consumer experience, including uncertainty, scarcity, functionality, aesthetics, and symbolic meanings. Tourism blind boxes are different from physical blind boxes in terms of functionality-oriented, higher requests for consumer deliberations, and delayed uncertainty resolution. Accordingly, four propositions were presented to explain the mental journey of purchasing tourism blind boxes. Specifically, the expectation for hedonic and utilitarian outcomes enhances purchase intention, whereas the delays in uncertainty resolution exert a negative impact. Trust, perceived control, and embodiment can modulate the effect. Practical implications of implementing the blind box selling strategy in the tourism area were discussed.

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