Predicting Tourists Behavioral Intention through Antecedents of Attitude Towards Destination

Abstract

This study explores the effect of various antecedents on behavioral intention, with the mediating roles of attitude towards destination and destination attachment, by surveying tourists in Pakistan. Specifically, the antecedents considered are destination attractiveness, source credibility, and personality. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on a sample of 367 tourists who visited several destinations in Pakistan. The PLS-SEM technique was used for analysis purposes. The results showed that destination attractiveness and destination personality significantly predict behavioral intention through the two mediators: attitude towards destination and destination attachment. In contrast, destination source credibility predicts behavioral intention only through destination attachment. The findings also indicate that attitude towards destination predicts destination attachment. These results provide a foundation for further research on attitudes towards destinations and destination attachment, which can be extended to other tourist attractions.