Awareness Completes Brand Loyalty: Reality of Zimbabwe Tourism Destination

Abstract

The study investigated the supremacy of raising tourism destination awareness in improving brand loyalty. This was based on the fact that Zimbabwe as a tourism destination has received global awareness through various campaigns but still failing to improve its tourism destination brand loyalty. Therefore the study applied both a positivists and interpretivist’s paradigm using quantitative and qualitative research designs respectively. Sequentially the research design started with a qualitative approach whereby senior managers in the tourism industry were interviewed and agreed that the most common sources of brand loyalty are brand awareness, brand image and perceived brand quality. These variables were then investigated on their relationship to brand loyalty using survey questionnaires that were distributed to the three main sectors of the tourism industry namely accommodation, travel and resorts. The results of the study showed that brand image is the most dominant variable which needs to be uplifted in order to improve Zimbabwe tourism destination’s brand loyalty. This is then followed by brand awareness and perceived brand quality. It is when there is an acceptable image of the Zimbabwe’s tourism brand that positive brand awareness will be created and perceived quality will be enhanced in moment of truth experiences. The study recommended an intensive media campaign to change the current negative perception on Zimbabwe as a tourism destination and sponsored familarisation tours. Also the study recommended an effective evaluation of the tourism products and services in order to see if they are of required quality and an intensive stakeholder involvement in brand formulation.