Investigating tourist destination choice: Effect of destination image from social network members

This paper aims to investigate tourist destination choice, focusing on the research question how and to what extent the destination images of tourists' social network members influence their choice behavior. To this end, data were collected using a sequential stated adaptation choice experiment, in which respondents were requested to choose a tourist destination from a single choice set twice, once before and once after being informed about the destination image of social network members. A discrete choice model was estimated to investigate tourists’ choices. The estimation results revealed that the destination image of social network members allow tourists to update their existing knowledge toward destinations, through which their choice behavior is influenced. Tourists tend to adopt their destination image of social network members no matter whether they have a prior image or not. The magnitude of this social influence depends on the properties of the social networks.     

Advancing destination image: The destination content model

Knowledge of the mental representations that individuals hold about tourist destinations are important to understand their intentions. These mental destination representations have often been investigated by applying the concept of destination image. This study argues that the extant literature is often rather atheoretical and lacks operational rigor. These are major shortcomings which undoubtedly hinder the development of academic and managerial insights. In response, this study draws on contemporary psychology to develop the destination content model, comprising three informational components held in individuals‘ minds about destinations. The present study further outlines preferable methods and measures for each component, thus aiding researchers to investigate mental destination representations.     

Sequential choice behavior: Going on vacation and type of destination

The literature of destination choice has so far studied multi-stage decision making processes that are more representative of the general choice behavior of tourists (e.g. going on vacation, going abroad, and destination country). Alternatively, this study proposes a multi-stage decision process to the choice of tourist destination types (going on vacation, coastal character, and urban character of the destination) as these choice sets are more idiosyncratic to tourists who prefer a specific type of tourist destination (e.g. Spain with clear coastal and inland variations). In order to test this multi-stage choice process as well as the sequential order of both decisions, coastal character and urban character, the current study analyses decision processes vs. different hierarchical multi-stage processes (going on vacation and coastal character preceding urban character; and going on vacation and urban character preceding coastal character). The empirical findings support the existence of a multi-stage choice process where coastal character precedes the urban character destination choice. The main implication of these findings is that, given the limited human analytical capability, a hierarchical choice process can be useful to handle the information overload and the complexity inherent to the destination type choice.     

Differentiated price loss aversion in destination choice: The effect of tourists’ cultural interest

This article looks into the differentiated effects of loss aversion depending on whether individuals show cultural interest when choosing a destination. Based on the fact that perceived value implies not only sacrifices but also the expectations of a certain level of quality and prospects of satisfaction, together with the idea the Prospect Theory applies to tourism prices, the article states the hypothesis that interest in culture when choosing a destination lowers people’s loss aversion. By incorporating the reference-dependent model into a Multinomial Logit Model with Random Parameters – which controls for heterogeneity – the empirical application shows that culture-interested tourists are less loss averse; i.e. the negative effect of finding a higher than expected price diminishes with cultural interest. The expectation of enjoyment of these attributes and the more conscious attitude toward maintenance/restoration activities of cultural sites are hypothesized to lead prices to be evaluated differently when selecting a destination.     

Modeling reference experience in destination choice

The complexity underlying the destination decision-making of tourists has prompted abundant research from various academic disciplines. This paper proposes the integration of the leisure tourists’ past reference experience into a model for long-haul destination choice. By analyzing the preference of tourists regarding various attributes of a tourist destination, this study consolidates the concept of reference-dependent behavior in the context of tourist destination choice and introduces the concept of reference-level bias. The research findings provide theoretical and managerial implications.     

Analyzing travel mobility patterns in city destinations: Implications for destination design

Understanding the features of travel activities is important in elaborating travel behaviors and segmenting travelers based on the similarity of activity patterns. This research applying mobile big data analytics suggests a novel method to classify travelers by considering the sequences of travel activity with individuals' trajectories. The result revealed five distinct travel types visiting city destinations and demonstrated dynamic travel flow among different mobility types. Recognizing that different types of travel patterns present important information in understanding destinations’ roles (or functions), this study attempts to characterize the functionality dynamics of city destinations based on travel activity types. As a result, the findings of this research provide insights into the demand-driven construct (or flow-based) of destination planning, which is the foundation of smart destination design. In addition, important methodological and practical implications that could be useful for city destination planners/designers are suggested.     

The psychological process of travel destination choice

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews literature on travel destination choice and organizes these studies systematically. A “cell–system” structure is proposed to describe the psychological process of travel destination choice. When forming decisions on vacations, tourists gather information on potential destinations and evaluate visit intentions among potential destinations (“cell”). The visit intentions are successively compared while information is updated in the process (“system”). The “cell–system” structure provides a clear view of the psychological process of travel destination choice. Empirical studies based on the structure can provide further insights into why and how tourists choose travel destinations.     

Decisive factors in medical tourism destination choice: A case study of Isfahan,Iran and fertility treatments

The birth of the first in vitro fertilized baby, followed by further advances in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has made this technology one of the most attractive tourism innovations among the different categories of medical tourism. In addition, factors such as legal, moral, religious and ethical issues play important roles in choosing reproductive tourism destinations. The aim of this study was to examine the factors influencing destination choice in infertile couples who referred to the Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center in Isfahan, Iran. Field evaluation was carried out based on a documentary survey and questionnaire completed by interviewers. Among a target group of 80 infertile couples, 67 were interviewed. The majority of participants in this study were Muslim couples who traveled for reproductive tourism to Iran. It can be concluded that religious affinity may have paramount importance in reproductive medical tourism for Muslim infertile couples.     

The effectiveness of the destination logo: Congruity effect between logo typeface and destination stereotypes

A well-designed logo can assist destination marketers in the development of destination identity and image, and yet the factors that contribute to an effective destination logo are poorly understood. Thus, this study aims to explore how typefaces influence the effectiveness of logos of destinations with differing stereotypes. By conducting four scenario-based experiments with different experimental stimuli, this study has revealed a congruity effect between logo typeface and destination stereotypes. Specifically, linking logos with handwritten typefaces with warm destinations, and machine-written typefaces with competent destinations can elicit more favorable attitudes and stronger travel intentions toward those destinations (Study 1). The results further showed that the congruity effect on tourists’ travel intentions is sequentially mediated by processing fluency and attitude (Studies 2a, 2b) and is attenuated for tourists with high needs for cognition (Study 3). This research also offers practical suggestions for destination marketers around the design of effective logos.     

A destination imagery processing model: Structural differences between dream and favourite destinations

The present paper aims at understanding how destination imagery is processed in tourists’ working memory. The research focuses on two highly desirable, but contrasting, destination brand categories: Favourite Destination, which involves retrospective memory of positive experiences in situ; and Dream Destination, based on tourists’ prospective memory. Through an online multilingual survey, 23,446 responses consisting of perceptions, evoked by way of free-recall, associated to Dream and Favourite Destinations, were collected. Findings point to clear structural differences between the imagery of Dream and Favourite Destinations. Additionally, a theoretical destination imagery model that offers a basis for future studies is proposed, and some managerial implications of significant relevance to destination marketing are discussed.     

Travel motivations and destination choice: A study of British outbound market

Abstract

Knowledge of people's travel motivations and its association with destination selection plays a critical role in predicting future travel patterns. The objectives of this study were to uncover the underlying push and pull factors of motivation associated with British outbound pleasure travelers as well as to identify key motivational factors that have significant effects on destination choice. Six push factors and five pull factors were found. “Knowledge seeking” and “cleanliness & safety” were perceived as the most important push and pull factors respectively. The results of logistic regression analyses snowed that the British tend to visit the U.S. for “fun & excitement” and “outdoor activities,” Oceania for “family & friend togetherness,” and Asia to seek a “novel experience.” The findings of differential motivational factors across seven destinations suggest that a destination can capitalize on its strengths with an optimal combination of push and pull factors to attract and retain the British travelers.     

Climate in the region of origin and destination choice in outbound tourism demand

This paper describes the relationship between regional climate in the home area and the choice of taking holidays in the region of origin or abroad. This decision is simultaneously estimated with a bivariate probit model. The study combines the socioeconomic characteristics of European households with information on the region of residence, such as climate, which is defined according to a new annualized climate index. The estimated probabilities are analysed using GIS and nonparametric techniques. The results of modelling support the hypothesis that the climate in the region of residence is a strong determinant of holiday destination choice. They show that residents in regions with better climate indices have a higher probability of travelling domestically and a lower probability of travelling abroad.     

Destination choice model for transitional travel: College students in China

The current study examines the phenomenon of transitional travel by college students in China. The transitional travel takes place during that period when students are graduating and about to embark on a new phase of their lives. A conceptual model of destination choice for such travel is developed. The data was derived from personal interviews with 14 college students by telephone with both prescribed and open-ended questions. The model consists of five components: 1) barriers to transitional travel, 2) motivations for transitional travel, 3) internal inputs, 4) external inputs, and 5) destination selection.     

Travel blogs on China as a destination image formation agent: A qualitative analysis using Leximancer

The Internet spreads tourism information around the world and specifically travel blogs function as an online version of word-of-mouth (eWOM). This research explored the role of blogs as a destination image formation agent for China's inbound tourism. Data were collected from 630 bloggers who wrote on two blog websites about their travels within China in 2011 and 2012. The bloggers on TravelBlog.org and TravelPod.com were mainly from English-speaking countries. Qualitative analysis using Leximancer software was applied and identified nine major textual themes and the relationships among these themes. In order of relative importance, the themes were place, Chinese, people, food, train, city, hotel, China, and students. The research indicated that international tourists tended to have positive images of China.     

Keep it real: Assessing destination image congruence and its impact on tourist experience evaluations

Inaccurate promotional information about tourist destinations may result in tourists' negative evaluations. This study proposes a new approach to measure the congruence between projected and received images of a destination's attractions. Based on online textual data, this study investigates how image congruence influences tourists' evaluations of their destination experiences. Using promotional messages and reviews of attractions in Hainan, China obtained from a leading Chinese online travel agency (Ctrip) and a three-way fixed-effects regression model, this study demonstrates that image congruence positively affects tourists' appraisal of their destination experiences. External crises (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic), the readability of promotional messages, and tourists' expertise moderate this relationship, reducing the positive impact of image congruence on tourist experience evaluation. This study bridges theoretical and empirical gaps in destination image (in)congruence research, informing tourism marketing agencies of effective promotional strategies in different contexts.     

Integrating venturesomeness and consumption needs: effects on destination choice along the TALC

This research studies destination choice based on Plog’s venturesomeness concept, incorporating the effects of four consumption needs from the theory of market choice behavior. An empirical test in the context of destinations in two stages of Butler’s tourism area life cycle (TALC) showed that venturesomeness does not predict behavioral intentions as postulated by Plog. However, results demonstrated that epistemic and emotional (functional and social) needs are predictors of preference for novel (mature) destinations, supporting the original conceptualization of Plog’s psychographic framework. The findings shed light on a long-time debated model in the tourism literature.     

Branding the destination versus the place: The effects of brand complexity and identification for residents and visitors

This article contributes to a broader understanding of how the branding of places affects both residents and tourists. While branding often relies on simplified messages, the effectiveness of such strategies for complex brands remains questionable. Residents in particular possess a confounded knowledge of the place and could disagree with simplified destination brands. To test the role of brand complexity for residents and tourists, we conducted two empirical studies (N = 765; N = 385), showing that, for residents, positive place attitude (i.e., place satisfaction, identification, and attachment) and place behaviour (i.e., positive word-of-mouth) increase with a higher brand complexity. The second study shows that the positive relationship of brand complexity is stronger for residents than for tourists, supporting the conclusion that brand complexity is relevant for place brands, but that the place brand for residents requires more complexity than a destination brand, while it imperative that both are integrative parts of an overall brand.     

Developing a holistic framework for analysis of destination management and/or marketing organizations: six Danish destinations

This paper presents a holistic framework for analysis of destination management and/or marketing organizations (DMOs) and explores how these work in a highly complex tourism environment. Six destinations are investigated through 61 qualitative interviews with representatives from tourism businesses and organizations. The analysis reveals a number of important factors, including whether the DMOs are focused on survival or development, on experiences or communication, and on internally or externally oriented governance. Finally, it reveals that Danish DMOs constantly negotiate between their various roles at the destination, creating discrepancies between ideals, goals and practices.     

Factors influencing destination image and visit intention among young women travellers: role of travel motivation,perceived risks,and travel constraints

There is literature detailing the effects of travel motivation, risks perceptions, and travel constraints on the destination image and travel behaviour of individuals. However, literature explaining these factors in the context of prospective young women travellers is scarce. This study empirically tests a comprehensive model of prospective young women’s travel behaviour, based on cognitive and affective perceptions about destination, travel motivations, perceived risks, and travel constraints. A quantitative study was performed on 370 young university women in Malaysia. The results revealed that the travel motivation of young women has positive effects on the cognitive and affective image, whereas the dimensions of perceived travel risks and travel constraints have negative effects on cognitive and affective destination images. The results also found that cognitive and affective images positively influence the visit intention of prospective young women travellers.