Experience-based Brand Personality as a Source of Value Co-creation: The Case of Lofoten

Abstract

A tourist destination's brand personality (TDBP) can be measured by asking tourists which personality traits they associate with the destination. A tourist who experiences a TDBP that is in congruence with the tourist's self-image will favor the tourist destination. Such congruence between the tourist and the tourist destination facilitates co-creation of experiences during the holiday. This paper replicates and extends previous research by investigating the reliability and validity of a measurement instrument for tourist destination brand personality. It shows how this measurement instrument can assist firms and tourists in their co-creation of experience value by providing a foundation for dialogue, access, risk assessment and transparency. Questionnaire data were collected from a sample of 234 tourists on holiday in a nature-based tourist destination. The analysis shows that the measurement instrument works relatively well, and it indicates that the brand personality of this tourist destination consists of four dimensions: ruggedness, sophistication, naturalness and activeness. This study validates a measuring instrument for tourist destinations' brand personality using a sample consisting exclusively of tourists who are on holiday at the investigated destination. Implications and opportunities for further research are suggested.