The Impact of Affective Destination Image on Domestic Tourist Preferences: A Study of Gaborone City, Botswana

Abstract

Visitor preferences is a personal choice of a destination for a defined purpose of travel. In most times it is influenced by value for money, intention to re-visit and the intention to recommend the destination to others. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence destinations affective image on visitor preferences in destination Gaborone City, Botswana. Descriptive survey design was used for describing the study population and their characteristics. The target population was 3750 and a sample size of 360 domestic tourists who visited Gaborone departing through SSKIA Structured questionnaires was used to collect quantitative data, and interview schedules was used to collect qualitative data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were presented in tables. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study findings revealed R coefficient of 0.638, implying that destinations affective image as the independent factor had a correlation of 63.8 percent with visitor preferences in Gaborone City. This was supported by coefficient of determination (R-square) of 0.408. This meant that destinations affective image explained 40.8 percent of the variations in tourist preferences in Gaborone City. The study concludes that improving destination affective image has the likelihood of enhancing visitor preferences of destination in Gaborone City, Botswana. Gaborone city has a rich cultural heritage that can be showcased through cultural tourism, including cultural festivals, traditional dance performances, and visits to local museums and historical sites. By promoting cultural tourism, Gaborone can attract a niche market of travelers interested in experiencing local cultures and traditions. The study thus recommends that tourism destinations in Gaborone city needs to have a strong marketing strategy that promotes the city's unique features and attractions, including social media campaigns, collaborations with travel bloggers and influencers, and attending travel shows and exhibitions. Keywords: Affective, Destination image, Domestic tourist, Destination preferences, Gaborone City