TITLE:
A Study on the Mechanisms and Pathways through Which New Media Empowers the Development of the Cultural and Tourism Industry: A Case Study of the “Yunnan Treasure Shops” Influencer Program
AUTHORS:
Han Yang, Yushi Yin
KEYWORDS:
New Media, Hidden Gem Shop Star Promoters, Short-Video Marketing, Digital Cultural Tourism
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.3,
May
14,
2026
ABSTRACT: Against the backdrop of the deep integration of the digital economy and the mobile Internet, new media offer innovative pathways and practical models for the transformation and upgrading of regional cultural and tourism industries. Based on theories of destination marketing and travel motivation, and using the case study method, this research takes Yunnan’s “Treasure Store Star Promoter” new media cultural tourism project as the analytical vehicle to systematically explore the internal logic and practical effects of new media in empowering regional cultural and tourism communication and stimulating the vitality of micro cultural tourism entities. The study demonstrates that through a collaborative operational model involving hashtag campaigns, the creation of distinctive intellectual property (IP), and influencer-driven traffic, the project effectively enhanced Yunnan’s online visibility and market appeal in the cultural tourism sector. However, it still faces practical challenges, such as insufficient long-term content management and a superficial exploration of ethnic culture. This study enriches the body of case studies on how new media empowers cultural tourism development and offers practical guidance for various regions to optimize the operation of regional cultural tourism new media and revitalize local distinctive resources.