The Impact Mechanism of Digital Marketing in Cultivating Cultural Interest on Z-Generation Participation in Cultural Tourism: A Case Study of the Palace Museum

Abstract

As the Z generation gradually becomes the main group of cultural tourism consumption, how to effectively attract this group through digital marketing methods has become an important issue faced by cultural institutions. This study takes the digital marketing practice of the Palace Museum as a case study, focusing on the Z generation in China and exploring the relationship between their digital exposure, cultural interest formation, and tourism participation behavior. The research integrates the use and satisfaction theory and the customer engagement theory. Through a questionnaire survey of 208 Chinese Generation Z respondents, reliability and validity tests, correlation analysis, and other methods were used to empirically test the hypotheses. The results indicate that the algorithm recommended short videos and graphic content platforms are the main entry points for Generation Z to obtain cultural information. Digital exposure and cultural interest significantly positively predict travel intention and cultural and creative product purchase intention, with cultural interest having the strongest explanatory power. The intention of social sharing plays a partial mediating role in both influencing paths, and its role is more prominent in the purchasing intention path. This study suggests that cultural institutions should attach importance to the construction of platform native content, prioritize cultivating audience cultural interests rather than simply expanding exposure, enhance the shareability of content, and develop differentiated content strategies for different groups within Generation Z. The research provides reference directions for future longitudinal tracking, cross-border comparison, and multi case design.