The role of satisfaction in the relationship between destination image and behavioral intention: a case study of Vietnamese visitors to Thailand

Abstract

ABSTRACT Destination image constructs, including international marketing and tourism, have received sustained interest over the past decades. In this study, a conceptual framework designed to examine the correlation between Thailand's destination image and Vietnamese behavioral intentions is developed and tested. Additionally, satisfaction is discussed as a mediator in these proposed relationships. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was adapted to analyze the data of 510 Vietnamese tourists. An outcome of the study presented that destination image and satisfaction correlate with revisit intentions. Positive word-of-mouth recommendations are completely influenced by only satisfaction when destination image is considered. Tourist behavioral intentions and destination image are significantly mediated by satisfaction. The study's implications benefit both researchers and practitioners in destination marketing and management, as they provide important insights into the factors that influence tourist behavior and decision-making in the context of urban tourism destinations.