Destination Marketing Organizations Research Articles

Online Allies? Exploring Black Travelers’ Perceptions of DMO Social Advocacy Statements

Many U.S. destination marketing organizations (DMOs) have utilized social media to express support for the Black community amidst the Black Lives Matter racial justice movement. Current research lacks insight into ways in which Black travelers judge these efforts known as advocacy statements. This study uses a 2 × 2 experimental design to examine how Black travelers evaluate various forms of statements. Additionally, this work explores the mediating role of relational legitimacy between advocacy statements and behavioral intentions and finds it to be significant. Black travelers in this study find statements containing both an image and text to be the most appropriate form of digital social advocacy. Organizations can leverage these findings to create effective advocacy campaigns that go beyond performative acts and reflect substantive policies and strategies.

Tourism experiences and healthy aging: extending the successful aging model

PurposeThe surge in the older population has gained significant interest within the tourism sector worldwide. Little empirical research has been conducted to examine the role of tourism experiences on older adults’ healthy aging. Based on Rowe and Kahn’s (1987) successful aging model, this study utilized a qualitative approach to examine the health benefits that tourism can play for seniors.Design/methodology/approachA total of 19 interviews were conducted with senior adults living in Macau aged over 60. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results demonstrate that the tourism experience contributes to healthy aging in three ways: first, nature-based tourism benefits seniors’ physical health; second, the social interactions with friends, relatives, locals and fellow travelers during tourism activities benefit seniors' emotional well-being and third, transcendent tourism experiences can exhibit positive spirituality among seniors.Originality/valueThis paper not only enriches the theoretical and empirical studies on tourism and healthy aging but also puts forward relevant empirical suggestions to destination marketing organizations that target the senior tourist market.

How destination image projected on social media influences online sales of tourism services: exploring the moderating role of tourists’ experience

ABSTRACT While previous research has focused on the cognitive and affective dimensions of destination image and their effects on tourists’ attitudes and intentions (rather than actual behaviours), this study takes a three-dimensional approach to examine tourists’ objective responses. It examines how cognitive, affective, and sensory destination images projected by the destination marketing organisation (DMO) through social media influence its online sales of tourism services. Analysing 1676 social media posts from a DMO, findings reveal that cognitive and sensory images positively affect online sales. Additionally, tourists’ previous experience with the destination moderates the effects of the three dimensions of projected destination image.

Influence of Social Media Marketing on Destination Choice among European Travelers

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of social media marketing on destination choice among European travelers. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Social media marketing has a significant influence on destination choice among European travelers, as it shapes their perceptions and decision-making processes. Studies show that platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube serve as key sources of inspiration and information, with user-generated content and influencer recommendations often playing a pivotal role in shaping travel preferences. Travelers are particularly drawn to visually appealing content, which showcases destinations' attractions, culture, and experiences in an engaging manner. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Uses and gratifications theory (UGT), social proof theory & elaboration likelihood Model (ELM) may be used to anchor future studies on the influence of social media marketing on destination choice among European travelers. Travel businesses should invest in creating visually compelling content that showcases their offerings. Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) should adopt policies that prioritize high-quality visual content in their marketing strategies.

Destination promotional videos and tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations: is there a link?

PurposeThere is an increasing focus on the significance of tourism ethnocentrism in determining the success of tourism development and marketing. However, the relationship between tourism ethnocentrism and various tourism-related concepts remains inadequately explored. Hence, this study aims to address the growing need to examine the factors that bolster tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations using stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) paradigm.Design/methodology/approachUsing a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, the study gathered data from 434 respondents, which were subsequently analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results highlight crucial findings: destination promotional videos contribute to the accumulation of tourism knowledge, which, in turn, fosters tourism ethnocentrism. These findings imply that tourism knowledge mediates the relationship between destination promotional videos and tourism ethnocentrism.Practical implicationsThe study strongly advocates for using destination promotional videos to enhance resident support for tourism by augmenting perceived tourism knowledge. Managers in destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are encouraged to adopt destination promotional videos as a novel approach for promoting inclusive tourism development by enhancing tourism knowledge as mechanisms for promoting tourism ethnocentrism.Originality/valueBy considering and proposing destination promotional videos as an ambivalent mechanism of tourism ethnocentrism, this study is an academic endeavor that advances insights into the occurrence of tourism ethnocentrism as an important component of inclusive tourism development.

Expo2020 Dubai and Tourism Marketing: An Online User-Generated Content Analysis

Dubai is currently one of the world’s leading cities in the tourism field. Expo2020 has placed it in a remarkable position in sustainable tourism development amongst other tourist destinations. Information communication technologies (ICTs) have become essential for connecting tourism destinations with their visitors and other market partners. X (Twitter) facilitates online communication; embracing it have proved to be critical for boosting the brand image and reputation of tourism spots and augmenting their competitive advantage in the market. User-generated content (UGC) and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) have become important key players in this field. The purpose of this research was to deepen the study of the Expo2020 event in relation to tourism within the framework of ICTs. To do so, 3811 tweets posted from April 2021 to March 2022 using the hashtags #expo2020 and #visitdubai were analyzed. Users generated more than 10 tweets daily on this topic. Dubai’s institutional accounts were highly involved in creating content, leading personal accounts to follow the eWOM and UGC. Destination marketing organization (DMO) related to the Indian segment account stood out as one of the main players in the analyzed sample.

HERITAGE TOURISM: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OVER THREE DECADES (1994-2023)

This qualitative study explores the relationship between tourism and places recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, whether tangible (WHS) or intangible (ICH). In the last two decades there has been a growth in the number of resources with UNESCO recognition. It aims to fill the research gap in the analysis of heritage tourism using bibliometric techniques. Data were collected from 886 documents in the period 1994-2023 (December) from the Web of Science database. Using the VOSviewer software, scientific maps were created showing the current and future line of research in this scientific field. The results show evidence of related research on Tourism sustainability at UNESCO sites in China and Tourism sustainability of cultural heritage for the whole period. In addition, two new research topics from 2016 are identified: Motivation and satisfaction of heritage tourists and Authenticity of intangible heritage. The results help to visualise the structure and trends of heritage tourism research, which can help researchers, policy makers and destination marketing organisations (DMOs) to gain knowledge and understanding of existing studies and current research topics.

Do we pay based on our past travel experience? A moderated mediation model of tourists’ willingness to pay

PurposeThis study aims to test the first and second-stage moderating effects of tourists’ past travel experiences on the relationships between national responses, destination trust and tourists’ willingness to pay in the post-pandemic recovery era.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model was tested with a sample of 398 tourists in Vietnam. The path analysis was applied to investigate the mediating and moderating effects.FindingsThe findings emphasise the mediating effect of destination trust in the relationships between national responses and tourists’ willingness to pay. With the moderating effect of past travel experience, all the first-stage indirect effects are significant, but the second-stage indirect effects are significant only at a high level of past travel experience.Originality/valueThis study provides theoretical implications for solving the puzzle about the paradox of trust in the government’s responses in the post-pandemic era. Practical implications for destination marketing organisations in the post-pandemic recovery era are then discussed.

Modeling Multidimensionality in Hospitality and Tourism Research: Exploratory Higher-Order Factor Analysis

The hospitality and tourism discipline has been criticized for often taking a lackadaisical approach to the modeling of latent phenomena. Research on scale development has been found to lack transparency and/or to omit important methodological steps, thus calling into question the validity and reliability of the existing scales. To address these issues, there is a need for more research that emphasizes measurement issues and provides methodological guidance to hospitality scholars interested in scale development. Given the multidimensional nature of most phenomena and the complexity of human behavior, this study seeks to provide researchers, within and outside the field, with a guide to exploratory higher-order factor analyses. An empirical example of the recommended practices is provided using data collected from a sample of destination marketing organization (DMO) executives.

Cinematic Influence: The Role of Film in Shaping Malaysians' Travel Intentions and Destination Choices

Film tourism has emerged as a significant factor in enhancing tourist numbers by drawing visitors to locations depicted in movies and dramas. This study explores films' influence on Malaysians' perceptions and intentions to travel to these destinations. Utilizing the push and pull theory, the research examines how movies affect Malaysians' travel motivations and destination choices. Data were gathered through an online survey involving 267 Malaysian moviegoers, selected via convenience sampling. The findings indicate that several factors, including the reflection of personal values and interests in movies, significantly influence the intention to travel. Respondents expressed a stronger connection and likelihood to visit destinations featured in films that resonate with their interests. The study suggests that future research could employ different methodologies further to explore the impact of movies on tourist perceptions globally. Additionally, the findings underscore the potential for filmmakers, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and local authorities to leverage films as powerful marketing tools to enhance tourist demand for real-life film locations.

Sustaining the brand and branding sustainability: landscape as homeland in Greenland’s visual marketing

Arctic destinations are continually reshaping their global identities to manage external expectations about the region. Existing portrayals of Greenland often stereotype the area as untouched wilderness or oversimplify its social, economic, and cultural realities. Our study combines visual analysis of cultural landscape and cultural ecosystem services (CES) to unveil a novel narrative in Greenland’s sustainable tourism branding we termed ‘landscape as homeland’. Empirically this research is based on the photographic database of Greenland’s national destination marketing organization. We explore Greenland’s destination branding as a strategic tool to define local meanings of sustainable tourism, homeland, and “Arcticness” in a branding that distinctively positions itself amidst Arctic destinations. Using pictured landscape as a dwelling place discerns locally valued CES, and realigns tourist engagements toward a culturally and ecologically integrated relationship. Applications of these findings extend to other rapidly changing regions seeking to expand economic opportunities, harnessing the synergy between destination branding and sustainable tourism. We reflect on the efficacy of our integrated CES and cultural landscape research to reveal local framings of the tourism-sustainability tension. We highlight the role of destination marketing organizations to bridge the gap between local identity, visitor expectations, and sustainable tourism development.

How Tourism Cultural Events Influence Multicultural Competence, Tourism Destination Image, and Visit Intentions: Evidence From the Pharaohs' Golden Parade

ABSTRACTThis study explores the impact of tourism cultural events on fostering multicultural competence and their effects on tourism destinations. Data were collected from viewers of the Pharaohs' Golden Parade broadcast on the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority's “Experience Egypt” YouTube channel. The data were analyzed using an inductive research approach, uncovering four distinctive themes: multicultural competence precursors, cultural tourism events' unique cultural and social elements, multicultural competence, and destination outcomes. Based on the study findings, a framework was proposed to depict the envisaged relationships between the four main themes. Practically, the study provides insights for destination marketing organizations on how viewers' impressions of cultural events on social media and official homepages could shape a destination's image and influence travel and word‐of‐mouth intentions.

The psychological influence of perceived destination attributes in 360° virtual tours on tourists’ responses

ABSTRACT A 360° virtual tour experience integrates videos and smartphones to evoke tourists’ cognition, emotion, and heightened intentions. The present study investigates the impact of perceived destination attributes on information-seeking and destination visit intention when tourists are presented with a 360° virtual tour experience. The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework is extended to investigate this mechanism by incorporating perceived destination attributes as a stimulus, tourists’ perceived confidence, confirmation, and satisfaction as an organism, and information seeking and visit intention as a response. Data was collected from 260 tourists in India. The results reveal the strong influence of 360° media in generating perceived destination attributes, which has a significant and positive association with tourists’ perceived confidence and destination satisfaction. Findings based on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) reveal that destination satisfaction is a strong predictor of information-seeking, and confirmation is a predictor of destination visit intention. The implications provide valuable insights to Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs), VR content creators, and policymakers for effectively promoting VR videos for tourism.

The Manta mystique: Destination image and its effect on tourist citizenship behavior and willingness to sacrifice

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced tourism managers to reevaluate their strategies for attracting visitors and aiding in the recovery of destinations. This new approach emphasizes increased tourist engagement with the destination and stresses the importance of concepts like tourist citizenship behaviors and their willingness to sacrifice. This research investigates the correlations among destination image, tourist citizenship behaviors, and the willingness to sacrifice. By examining these factors, the study provides valuable information into the emotional and cognitive aspects of tourists’ interactions with the destination image and their collaborative behaviors. This information can be used to enhance the visitor experience and the attraction of the destination. Conducted in the captivating city of Manta, Ecuador, this research aims to address the gap in understanding tourists’ perceptions of South American destinations, presenting a unique perspective on the region's tourism potential. Beyond advancing tourism literature, this comprehensive study offers practical approaches for destination marketing organizations to attract tourists and enhance destination competitiveness.

Government promotion and city image: visitor intentions in Macao

PurposeThis study aims to critically evaluate the impact of government tourism promotion methods on city image and visiting intentions and to explore the moderating effect of tourism experience on two of the conceptualized relationships, using Macao as a case study.Design/methodology/approachThe research analyzed responses from 407 Macao visitors during the pandemic to determine the effects of tourism promotion methods on the city’s image and visiting intention using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses.FindingsThis study revealed that tourism promotion methods positively impact the city’s image and visiting intentions. City image also mediates the relationship between tourism promotion methods and visiting intentions. Furthermore, tourism experience moderates the relationships between promotion methods and city image and between promotion methods and visiting intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s findings on the effects of promotion methods utilized by local governments support and expand upon existing theoretical frameworks within the realm of nonprofit organizations’ management and marketing for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). However, the cross-sectional design limits causality, and findings may not be generalizable beyond Macao without further comparative research.Practical implicationsThis study provides valuable insights for policymakers and marketers to design promotional campaigns that deliver authentic and memorable experiences, aligning with their promotional promises, especially in postpandemic contexts.Social implicationsThis research contributes to the theoretical and methodological advancement of management and marketing for DMOs from a public sector perspective, highlighting the critical role of government involvement in urban tourism promotion.Originality/valueThe research offers valuable insights into how promotional activities influence visiting intentions, advancing tourism management and marketing for DMOs from a nonprofit perspective. The study validates theories and adds unique insights by focusing on Macao’s postpandemic recovery, offering practical implications for similar urban settings.

How immersive technologies impact behavioral responses in destination marketing: the role of physiological arousal, presence, and age

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) media and the influence of user’s age in the context of destination marketing by exploring their impact on cognition (presence), affection (arousal), and behavioral (intention to visit and intention to recommend the destination) outcomes.Design/methodology/approachA laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the impact of using immersive VR (vs. 2D desktop) to experience a 360-degree virtual tour of Valencia on consumers’ behavior. The sample included 187 participants. Both self-reported and physiological measures were collected during the experimentation.FindingsResults showed that participants in the immersive condition experienced a stronger sense of presence and higher physiological arousal than those exposed to nonimmersive content. Presence significantly mediated both the intention to visit and the intention to recommend the promoted venue. Physiological arousal mediated the relationship between media typology and the intention to recommend the destination. Upon introducing age as a moderating variable, the effect of physiological arousal on behavioral outcomes proves to be significant.Practical implicationsThe study presents destination marketing organizations with a compelling use case for immersive technologies. It also offers design principles, potential applications and targeting strategies for VR marketing in hospitality management.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the combined effect of physiological arousal and presence on behavioral intentions in VR destination marketing, while also examining the impact of age as an individual characteristic.

Value co-creation in tourism living labs

The tourism industry is an ecosystem of suppliers, visitors, residents, destination marketing organizations, and entrepreneurs co-creating valuable experiences. Engagement of relevant actors and their collaboration are critical for innovation in the tourism (service) ecosystem. Living labs facilitate such collaboration in physical and virtual environments through parity-based partnerships among networks of actors. Taking an ecosystem perspective, this study advances the understanding of 1) how living labs can contribute to value co-creation in tourism destinations and 2) the requirements for effective co-creation. The findings from a three-phase mixed-method study with managers and participants of six tourism living labs underscore the relevance of actors, their motivations to engage, and structure for facilitating value co-creation within living labs. Effective co-creation processes lead to network growth and innovation, with resource availability being both a requirement and a perceived benefit of this co-creation.

Combining Foodscape and Touristscape: International Tourism Marketing for Singapore and Batam

The cities of Batam and Singapore are centers for tourist lovers, but official government authorities and destination marketing organizations tend to underestimate the potential of these destinations to be revisited by international tourists. In particular, there is little empirical research on international tourism, culinary tourism, and international marketing. This article aims to explore the scope of promotion of Batam and Singapore as culinary destinations. For the purpose of this research, A descriptive qualitative methodology using content analysis was developed to ascertain the relationship between food and tourism in the two places observed. using content analysis was developed to ascertain the relationship between food and tourism in the two observed places. The research method was carried out by conducting interviews and field observations. Data sources were obtained from interviews with Pokdarwis in Batam and tourists in Singapore. The research results stated the integration of Foodscape and Touristscape presents a promising avenue for international tourism marketing in both Singapore and Batam. These destinations possess rich culinary landscapes and diverse attractions that appeal to a wide range of travelers. By leveraging the synergy between Foodscape, which encompasses the culinary offerings reflective of their multicultural societies, and Touristscape, which includes the physical environment and attractions, Singapore and Batam can create compelling marketing strategies to attract international tourists. The combination of authentic culinary experiences, vibrant cultural attractions, and modern amenities positions both destinations as premier tourist destinations in the region.

Destination Marketing Through a Signature Dish: The Case of Orlando’s Signature Dish

This case study examines how a destination can be marketed through a signature dish. In particular, this case study discusses how Visit Orlando selected its signature dish and how they use it to promote Orlando. Orlando’s signature dish “Orlando’s Honey Nougat Glace” created by Chef Catherine Delrieu of Mon Petit Cheri was decided to be a great way to display the fresh and unique ingredients found in the local area. This dish showcases local honey, which is a huge staple of Florida. Visit Orlando used this as an opportunity to encourage visitors to explore outside of the theme parks and taste the area’s delicious local cuisine. This study discusses why and how destination marketing organizations (DMOs) can utilize signature dishes to promote their destinations.

How Social Media Data Mirror Spatio-Temporal Behavioral Patterns of Tourists in Urban Forests: A Case Study of Kushan Scenic Area in Fuzhou, China

Exploring the spatial distribution of tourist attractions and comprehending the spatio-temporal behaviors of tourists within tourist attractions can provide local planning agencies, destination marketing organizations, and government departments with essential evidence for decision-making processes. This study examines the spatio-temporal behavior patterns of tourists in the Kushan Scenic Area by analyzing GPS trajectory data acquired from social media platforms. The investigation primarily utilizes three research methodologies: grid analysis, Markov chain, and K-means clustering. The grid analysis results reveal three spatial distribution patterns within the scenic area, while the outcomes from the Markov chain and K-means clustering delineate six tourist movement patterns, along with three choices regarding travel time. This finding holds significant practical implications for enhancing the attractiveness of scenic areas, optimizing spatial layout, and improving tourists’ experiences.