Assessing the role of venturesomeness in a destination consumer-based brand equity model

Abstract

PurposeGiven the lack of research on the nomological validity of tourism destination consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) constructs incorporating core, well-established constructs from the travel and tourism discipline, this research investigates the influence of venturesomeness as a moderator in a model with destination image, satisfaction, and overall CBBE as antecedents of return intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses online panel data of past visitor to the sea-side destination of Corpus Christi, Texas. A sample of 210 residents in Texas and surrounding states was employed to estimate the hypothesized effects through partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsResults demonstrate the predictive effects of destination CBBE dimensions on tourists' revisit intention, with the significant moderation effects of venturesomeness through its influence on tourist satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsFindings provide general support to the nomological validity of the proposed model, highlighting the role of satisfaction as a central dimension to explain destination loyalty, the limitations of generic scales to investigate tourism destination contexts, and the incorporation of consumers' psychographics and lifestyle variables on destination CBBE.Practical implicationsDestination marketers should develop segmentation strategies to target travelers with psychographic profiles that are more responsive to the factors that foster CBBE.Originality/valueThis research provides insights on the nomological validity of a CBBE model by evaluating its integration with a context-specific theoretical domain, which is a condition to increase the explanatory scope of theoretical relations and claims in intermediate theory, and to move the research field forward.