Wine Tourism in Spain: Denomination of Origin Effects on Brand Equity

This research focuses on the analysis of wine tourism in four Spanish regions. Specifically, its main purpose is the development of a model to study the influence of the denomination of origin brand image, as a regional brand, and destination image on wine tourism destination brand equity. Due to the importance of destination marketing strategies, this study has been carried out from the wine industry's perspective. The conclusions obtained are applicable to the tourist sector and, particularly, to those wineries that wish to start a new line of business: wine tourism. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring relationships between customer-based brand equity and its drivers and consequences in the hotel context. An impact-asymmetry assessment

The development of customer-based brand equity plays a critical role in tourism. This paper attempts to study which variables contribute to brand equity creation and to examine whether brand loyalty can be considered as a consequence of brand equity in the hotel context. In addition, it seeks to provide more detailed insights into possible asymmetric effects among customer-based brand equity and its drivers and consequences. Four constructs are found to influence significantly brand equity: two perceptual (image and perceived quality) and two relational variables (trust and affective commitment). Additionally, both behavioural and attitudinal components of loyalty are confirmed as brand equity outcomes. The impact-asymmetry analysis reveals that perceived quality does not play a significant role in explaining brand equity, while awareness and trust emerge to have a significant negatively asymmetric impact. The paper is novel as the proposed model includes two new variables that are deemed critical to hospitality research, that is, trust and affective commitment. The relationship structure of the model is new to the literature as loyalty is conceptualized as a consequence of brand equity, thus confirming theoretical assumptions with limited empirical evidence. Finally, it is the first study that examines asymmetric impacts of customer-based brand equity drivers.     

Customer‐based Brand Equity for a Destination: the Effect of Destination Image on Preference for Products Associated with a Destination Brand

This study investigated how destination image of customer‐based brand equity for a tourist destination can be transferred to products associated with a destination brand. The effect of destination image on preference for products associated with a destination brand (PPADB) and the relationship between tourists’ destination preference and PPADB were investigated. Two hundred and ninety six individuals replied to a self‐administered questionnaire distributed to 318 students at a major US university. The results revealed that both cognitive and affective image of a destination are positively related to PPADB; preference for a destination is also positively related to PPADB. Suggestions are provided for a successful destination brand extension strategy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identifying Critical Brand Contact Elements of a Tourist Destination: Applications of Kano's Model and the Importance–satisfaction Model

A destination brand comprises brand elements that lead tourists to form a brand impression of a destination. Based on a literature review, this study contributes to a model for exploring tourist destination brand contact experiences. The results from applying Kano's model and the importance–satisfaction model to a specific hot spring destination indicate that four types of contact elements can be identified as having different quality attributes. The contact elements related to staff's service efficiency, attitude and willingness of serving customers are identified as the critical brand contact elements for the tourist destination. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Incorporation of Consumer Experience into the Branding Process: An Investigation of Name‐Brand Hotels

Given the growing number of hotel brands, improving consumer experience has become an increasingly important area of interest to industry practitioners. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between hotel guests' brand experience, knowledge and loyalty to name‐brand hotels. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with the incorporation of a second‐order factor analysis were employed to achieve the research goals. The findings indicate that brand experience was represented as a holistic concept with sensory, affective, behavioral and intellectual aspects. While brand experience influences brand loyalty, its impact is partially mediated by brand knowledge. This is a pioneer study that combines consumer experience with branding in the hospitality industry and offers practical suggestions to facilitate hotel managers in their development of effective branding strategies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An integrative model of destination brand equity and tourist satisfaction

This paper develops an integrative model that includes the dimensions of destination brand equity (i.e. awareness, image, quality and loyalty), as well as a key behavioural variable that is tourist satisfaction. In particular, our paper aims to contribute to the literature: (1) by examining the relationships between the dimensions of destination brand equity, which is not a deeply investigated issue so far; and (2) by adding tourist satisfaction, a key concept in loyalty formation, to the variables usually considered in destination brand equity models. The model was tested in two samples, national and international tourists visiting a destination in Spain, in order to also explore the role of the geographical and cultural distance between tourist and destination. Our results from a multi-group analysis indicate: (1) a robust link between “quality-satisfaction-loyalty” in both samples of tourists; (2) a chain of effects among awareness, image (separately considering the cognitive and affective dimensions) and perceived quality, although with the presence of some significant difference between both samples of tourists; and (3) a positive influence of cognitive image on affective image in both cases.     

Market strategy development and innovation to strengthen consumer-based equity: The case of Brazilian airlines

A brand valued by passengers would be able to convey quality and credibility, adds value to air transport the service, and increases passengers' willingness to pay a premium for tickets. However, studies on consumer-based brand equity in the air transport sector have been scarce, especially in developing countries such as Brazil. This study examines the relationship between marketing strategies adopted by Brazilian airlines in the domestic market and the strengthening of consumer-based brand equity (particularly brand associations with brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand loyalty). A literature review and a survey of 33 managers from Brazil's top airlines were conducted to develop the study's conceptual model. To empirically test the model, another survey was conducted on 480 passengers at six airports in the central western, southern, and southeastern regions of Brazil and the data analyzed via structural equation modeling. The results show that joint investments are necessary for innovation in service, price promotion, and event sponsorship in order to strengthen the key consumer-based brand dimensions. This study provides a basis for the development of future studies on passenger-based brand equity and helps airlines target their marketing strategies with maximum effectiveness.     

Visitors’ brand loyalty to a historical and cultural theme park: a case study of Hangzhou Songcheng,China

Conducting research on the factors affecting brand loyalty to theme parks is an important method for enhancing brand loyalty among tourists. This paper takes the Hangzhou Songcheng historical and cultural theme park as a case study. Hypotheses are proposed and structural equation model is constructed based on tourist perception theory. Findings show that theme park brand satisfaction is related to brand loyalty through brand attachment and historical and cultural performance. The quality of facilities and attractions has no significant correlation with perceived value and brand satisfaction. The service quality of attendants also has no significant correlation with tourist perceived value.     

Role of components of destination competitiveness in the relationship between customer-based brand equity and destination loyalty

Previous research suggests that an increase in customer-based brand equity (CBBE) can lead to greater competitiveness of the brand by influencing consumer behaviour through the greater possibility of brand selection, increased brand loyalty, reduced price sensitivity, and a willingness to pay more for the brand. However, there are also studies that suggest that certain destination competitiveness attributes can be the antecedents of a destination's CBBE. This study argues that the construct of destination competitiveness can be classified into the components of: (1) “functional attributes” being the antecedent of CBBE and (2) “abstract attributes” that are actually influenced by CBBE. A Delphi survey was conducted to assist in the classification of competitiveness attributes into the component of either functional or abstract attributes. Subsequent tests using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping confirm the mediating effect of CBBE in the relationship between the functional and abstract attributes, and its indirect effect on destination loyalty.     

Impact of corporate social responsibility on brand trust and brand loyalty: Case of Uber

The purpose of this research is to investigate the structural relationship between Uber corporate social responsibility (CSR), brand trust, and brand loyalty. Stakeholder theory is the theoretical foundation of the study. The CSR subdimensions of eco-friendliness, quarantine, user privacy, user safety, and driver well-being are used. Amazon Mechanical Turk was employed for data collection. The number of observations is 405. A structural equation model was implemented to test the research hypotheses. This study demonstrated the accountability of stakeholder theory for Uber brand management by showing a significant link between quarantine, user privacy, user safety, driver well-being, brand trust, and brand loyalty. This study contributes to the literature by validating the explanatory power of stakeholder theory in the case of Uber brand management.     

Airline brand equity,brand preference,and purchase intentions—The moderating effects of switching costs

This study examines the relationships between brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intentions on international air passengers’ decisions in Taiwan. The findings indicate positive relationships between brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intentions with a moderation effect of switching cost affecting the relationship between brand equity and purchase intentions. More specifically, the effect of brand equity on purchase intentions is not significant for passengers with low switching costs.     

The impact of airline internal branding on work outcomes using job satisfaction as a mediator

Within the context of the airline industry, this study offers an integrated approach measuring the effects of internal brand communication, brand-centered training, transformational leadership, brand ideology, and internal brand communities on job satisfaction and work outcomes. It further explores the role of job satisfaction as a mediator between internal branding and work outcomes. Following an analysis of 485 responses, we find that leadership, ideology, and communities positively influence job satisfaction, which in turn affects intention-to-stay, team performance, and brand commitment. Job satisfaction is also found to mediate the relationships between internal branding (i.e., transformational leadership, brand ideology, and internal brand communities) and work outcomes. These findings highlight that appropriate branding strategies can enhance airline development through employee satisfaction.     

Do global airline alliances influence the passenger's purchase decision?

This study examines the influences of airline global alliances on the purchase intention of international air passengers in Taiwan. The findings indicate positive relationships between global airline alliances, brand equity, brand preference and purchase intention with a moderation effect of involvement impacting on the relationship between global airline alliances and brand equity, and the relationship between brand preferences and purchase intention. In particular, for highly involved passengers, the effect of global airline alliances on brand equity, and brand preference on purchase intention, is significant.     

Luxury-cruise travellers’ brand community perception and its consequences

This study examines the roles of brand community and brand differentiation in the context of the luxury-cruise market. Employing a brand community integration scale, an online survey was conducted with 300 luxury-cruise customers in the USA. The results of structural equation modelling provided six findings as follows: (1) three of the four dimensions of brand community, namely the relationship with the cruise brand, the cruise product, and other cruisers, had positive effects on brand distinctiveness; (2) brand distinctiveness had positive effects on emotional brand attraction; (3) emotional brand attraction had positive effects on active engagement and repurchase intentions; (4) the corporate social responsibility image moderated the link between the relationship with other cruisers and brand distinctiveness; (5) customers’ desire for unique products moderated the relationship between brand distinctiveness and emotional brand attraction; and (6) service-use self-efficacy moderated the relationship between emotional brand attraction and active engagement. The results provide a deeper theoretical and practical understanding of the luxury-cruise market.     

The effect of a destination branding strategy for rural tourism on the perceived value of the conservation of the indigenous resources of the rural tourism destination: the case of Spain

The identification of mechanisms that encourage the tourism sector to contribute to sustainable conservation is of great interest. The present work proposes the use of destination branding based on contribution to the conservation of the indigenous resources of the rural tourist destination, and studies the effect this has on perceived value for the tourist visiting the destination. A scale of destination brand identity is validated, along with a scale for destination brand positioning and another for perceived value, as viewed by the tourist, of contribution to sustainable conservation. The perceived value scale offers an overall perspective which includes: functional-affective factors; benefits–sacrifices; the pre-visit stage; and the stay in the rural tourism location. These findings make a new contribution to both literature and to the professional sector.     

Love and Satisfaction Drive Persistent Stickiness: Investigating International Tourist Hotel Brands

Switching resistance loyalty manifests in persistent stickiness to the incumbent brand as the sole choice in the presence of other attractive alternatives. Empirically, it is the crucial determinant of retaining customers for long duration. However, specific drivers of such loyalty in the hospitality and tourism brand categories are still unclear. The current study, integrating the brand love and customer satisfaction paradigms, addresses this issue with a focus on international tourist hotel brands. Brand love proves to be a powerful driver of switching resistance loyalty toward the hotel brand. Noteworthy, overall customer satisfaction serves to reinforce the loyalty‐driving effect of brand love. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

关于品牌会展评估指标体系的初探

在总结有关会展评估的共识和难题的基础上,提出了会展评估指标体系的新想法:在对会展项目评估的基础上考虑展会的品牌无形资产要素,将对品牌展会的评估指标分为基础指标、行业特性指标和品牌展会的品牌无形资产指标这三个部分,建议运用AHP层次分析法和模糊综合评价法处理主观性的软性指标,采用标准分数的形式解决不同行业的展会评分问题。     

The influences of airline brand credibility on consumer purchase intentions

This study investigates how brand credibility affects consumer purchase intention in the airline sector. Based on signaling theory and relationship marketing theory, it explores the relationships among four constructs: brand credibility, decision convenience, affective commitment and purchase intention. A structural equation model applied to consumer survey data supports the argument. The results indicate that airline brand credibility increases consumer purchase intention by increasing consumers' decision convenience and enhancing affective commitment. Decision convenience can be considered a new mediator of a causal relationship between brand credibility and purchase intention. The results offer implications for airline marketers and directions for future research.     

Modeling Airline Crisis Management Capability: Brand attitude,brand credibility and intention

Crisis management consists of a number of capabilities which evaluate crisis signals and implements actions to minimize damage. Both identifying these capabilities and understanding their influence on perceptions of brand attitude, credibility and intention to purchase offers significant theoretical and managerial insights. This paper, therefore, proposes a cause-effects model of perceived airline crisis management capabilities and their influence on brand credibility, brand attitude and purchase intention in the aftermath of large-scale Taiwanese airline strikes. Using data collected via an online survey, the study makes three contributions to airline crisis management. It, firstly, identifies a set of crisis management capabilities for strike-hit airlines, secondly, it offers a causal chain of perceived airline crisis management capabilities, brand attitude, brand credibility and purchase intention. Furthermore, it the full mediating effects of brand credibility and brand attitude in the causal chain. This study, thus, makes conceptual and methodological contributions to crisis management and purchase intention research and provides practical insights into effective airline crisis management and brand management for the airline industry.     

Nonutilitarian Tourism Destination Positioning: A Case Study in China

This paper develops and applies a conceptual model of nonutilitarian tourism destination positioning. Tourist's nonutilitarian decision mechanisms (affective choosing and self‐congruity) are linked with destination positioning. A repositioning case of Dalian as a marine city destination versus its four competitors is used to demonstrate the model's guiding value. Through statistical analyses of MANOVA, ANOVAs and independent t‐tests, the findings indicate the differentiating affective image attribute and brand personality trait most useful for Dalian's positioning. A suggested nonutilitarian positioning strategy for Dalian, corresponding managerial and theoretical implications and future study considerations are finally summarized. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.