Influence of destination image on domestic travel intention
Keywords:
Destination image, cognitive image, affective image, tourists’ domestic travel intentionAbstract
PURPOSES: To study Thai tourists' perceptions of domestic destination images and analyze the relationship between destination image and their intention to travel domestically in the post-COVID-19 era. METHODS: A sample survey was conducted among Thai tourists aged 20 and above, residing in the Eastern region of Thailand. The participants included those who had traveled domestically within 12 months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, on-line data collection by Google forms being adopted for a sample of 898 respondents. RESULTS: Destination image significantly influenced tourists' intentions to engage in travel behavior, with both the affective and cognitive dimensions exerting a positive impact. The affective dimension demonstrated a stronger influence on the travel intention (β=0.338) compared to the cognitive dimension (β=0.247). The overall relationship between destination image and travel intention was moderate (R=0.516) and explained 26.4% of the variance in the dependent variable (R²adj=0.264, F=160.899, Sig=.000). THEORETICAL/POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Tourism marketers and policymakers can use the research findings as a guideline to create and maintain a positive destination image while promoting experiences that align with the destination image to enhance tourist satisfaction and loyalty.
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