Destination Management Research Articles

Unique or mainstream? exploring the impact mechanism of destination virtual endorsers’ apparel on tourist favorability

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the mechanism through which the apparel of virtual endorsers influences tourists’ favorability towards a destination. Drawing on symbolic interactionism and processing fluency theory, a mediation model is developed to explore this effect. Virtual endorsers, as an emerging form of destination promotion, have the potential to influence brand endorsement effectiveness through their apparel design and linguistic style. While previous research has primarily focused on the marketing impact of virtual endorsers, limited attention has been given to how their choice of apparel specifically affects tourist attitudes. Through three experiments, this paper examines the impact and mechanisms of virtual endorsers’ apparel on tourist favorability. The results show that virtual endorsers dressed in unique destination-specific apparel significantly increase tourist favorability compared to those in mainstream attire (Experiment 1). Processing fluency mediates this effect (Experiment 2). Additionally, the linguistic style of the virtual endorser moderates this mechanism: when using figurative language, the effect is significant, but it diminishes when using literal language (Experiment 3). This research not only enriches the theoretical framework of virtual endorser marketing but also provides practical strategies for destination management.

Transformative adventure experiences scale: validation and behavioral impacts

ABSTRACT This study validates the Transformative Outdoor Adventure Experiences (TOAE) scale and examines its impact on tourist behavior in the Kullu Valley, a Himalayan tourist destination known for outdoor adventure activities. Surveying 412 tourists participating in outdoor adventures, the research confirms the TOAE scale's validity and identifies its positive influence on destination image, revisit intentions and recommendation intentions. Utilizing CB-SEM for analysis, the study also finds that destination image mediates the relationship between TOAEs and revisit and recommendation intentions. Notably, an improved destination image positively affects recommendation intentions. These findings offer insights for destination managers and suggest potential avenues for future research in different tourism contexts.

Peningkatan Kualitas Tata Kelola Destinasi Wisata di Desa Krikilan Kalijambe Kabupaten Sragen

Improving the Quality of Tourism Destination Management in Krikilan Village, Kalijambe, Sragen Regency This article aims to describe the factors contributing to the limited involvement of local communities in tourism development, identify the need for improved management of tourist village destinations, and explore efforts to enhance tourism services to attract more visitors. The discussion focuses on the conditions of the Sangiran Site as a cultural heritage that must be preserved, emphasizing the role of local communities in supporting its sustainability and appeal. The article highlights challenges such as the lack of central permissions despite various local initiatives to boost attractiveness. Additionally, inadequate promotion is identified as an obstacle to introducing the destination to a broader audience. This article underscores the importance of active community participation in preserving authenticity and maximizing the potential of the Sangiran Site as a sustainable historical tourism destination. These efforts are expected to support cultural preservation and improve local welfare.

Understanding travel behaviour patterns and their dynamics: Applying fuzzy clustering and age-period-cohort analysis on longterm data of German travellers

This study examines how travel behaviour patterns change over time. It addresses the limitations of traditional segmentation studies, which often focus on static snapshots of travel behaviour. A comprehensive approach is proposed, integrating multi-dimensional segmentation and temporal analysis. Based on a large, repeated, cross- sectional dataset (1983–2018) from Germany, the study employs a research design that combines fuzzy clustering, to identify distinct tourist types including their heterogeneous behaviour, and additive logistic regression analysis, to analyse temporal changes in travel behaviour patterns. The findings reveal five tourist types based on their travel behaviour. These tourist types differ in sociodemographic characteristics and are related to each other. The chance of belonging to those tourist types changes over a tourists' life cycle (age), over time due to external factors (period) and across generations (cohort), providing insights into evolving travel behaviour. The findings from this study can help tourism stakeholders to adapt their strategies to changing tourist behaviour and improve destination management and marketing efforts.

Preserving the Past: A Dynamic Analysis of Heritage Tourism and Land Conservation in Mamluk Cairo

Historic urban cities face increasing pressure from tourism, necessitating sophisticated approaches to visitor management that protect both heritage values and local communities. The current study develops new sustainable metrics—sustainable visitor capacity (SVC) and Sustainable Visitation Index (SVI)—to provide a multifaceted assessment of heritage destination management beyond simple visitor volume calculations. The SVC considers operating hours, site capacity, and walking time, while the SVI holistically evaluates time efficiency, spatial distribution, and physical comfort. Applying these metrics to seven routes through the historic Mamluk monuments revealed significant variations in sustainability performance, with SVI scores ranging from 48.9 at Al-Ṣalῑba/Al-Sayyida Zaynab Streets to 92.8 at Northern Al-Mu’izz Street. The findings demonstrate that while the recommended daily visitor capacity ranges from 1286 to 2182 visitors across different routes, actual visitation frequently exceeds these thresholds, particularly in commercial zones. Geographic analyses and on-site studies identified the integration of tourist activities with commercial, residential, and religious uses as a critical factor contributing to overcrowding, especially evident in areas like Al-Ṣalῑba Street, where low SVI scores reflect challenges with unorganized markets and local congestion. The study offers site-specific recommendations for heritage managers, focusing on dynamic visitor management systems and zoning strategies that consider the dual function of these historic corridors as both tourist attractions and vital local thoroughfares. This research provides heritage managers with practical tools to quantify and enhance the sustainability of visitor experiences while preserving site integrity within complex urban heritage contexts.

Balancing Tourism Development and Sustainability: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach in Tofino over 15 Years

The narrow conceptualization of capitalism is increasingly challenged as destinations recognize the need to integrate equity and resilience into tourism development. Increasingly, destinations have been using tourism to move away from extractive industries and there is no shortage of literature outlining the need for a more inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that sustainability is at the forefront of tourism development considerations. Whether destinations are actually moving towards the more sustainable development of tourism is not always evident and rarely are studies of destinations undertaken over time. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine qualitative research spanning 15 years using a multi-stakeholder approach to understand impacts, issues, and solutions relating to tourism development in Tofino, Canada. Tofino has achieved notable advancements in financial, natural, and social capital but continues to face gaps in addressing other dimensions of the Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Insights from this research to focus on social, human, and built capital earlier on in tourism planning and development may help other destinations who partially or fully depend on tourism for their livelihood. This paper addresses real-world tourism development challenges and encompasses multiple stakeholder views on sustainable development, socio-political responsibilities, governance, leadership, destination management, policies, and other practices.

Analisis Minat Pengunjung Terhadap Aktivitas Berkuda Di Bromo

The Bromo area, as one of the popular tourist destinations in Indonesia, offers a variety of interesting activities, including horse riding, which not only provides a unique experience for tourists, but also contributes significantly to the local economy. This research aims to explore the factors that influence visitors' interest in horse riding activities in the Bromo area and their implications for the management of tourist destinations. Horse riding activities in Bromo attract the attention of domestic and foreign tourists, increasing their satisfaction through deep emotional experiences amidst stunning natural views. Factors that influence visitor interest include comfort, safety, and the quality of the facilities provided. This research also shows that equestrian activities not only impact the local economy, but also contribute to cultural and environmental preservation. On the other hand, there are challenges such as high horse riding fees, which can limit accessibility for some tourists. Trekking activities are an alternative for tourists who want to experience direct contact with nature. These two activities complement each other in increasing the attractiveness of the Bromo area as a tourist destination. These findings provide insight for tourism managers to develop sustainable tourism, improve the welfare of local communities, and strengthen tourist attractions by paying attention to safety, security, comfort and accessibility factors for visitors.

Exploring the impact of destination coolness on self-identity and destination advocacy among Generation Z tourists: a self-identity theory perspective

ABSTRACT This study investigates the mechanisms through which perceived “destination coolness” influences Generation Z tourists based on self-identity theory and the belief–desire–intention model. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed to Generation Z tourists, resulting in 539 valid responses. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23 and SmartPLS 4.0. The findings indicate that destination coolness positively influences Generation Z tourists’ sense of novelty, destination-self connection, self-identity, and destination advocacy. This research offers a theoretical framework for understanding perceived destination coolness, contributing to empirical studies on its influence mechanisms. It also highlights the connection between destinations and tourists, demonstrating how emotional responses and identity formation occur between people and places, while exploring the role of self-identity in motivating destination advocacy behaviors. Based on these findings, the study provides specific recommendations for destination marketing and development from the perspectives of tourists, destination managers, and stakeholders.

Opportunities and constraints for accessible nature-based destinations from the management perspective

ABSTRACT Offering an accessible environment to visitors in nature-based destinations often involves various challenges due to the need to balance accessibility with conservation. This study investigates the influences of practical methods, design elements, and other factors that affect visitors’ experience with reduced accessibility at eight nature-based destinations in the Taipei and northeast Taiwan area. Interviews with the destination managers of these eight sites have been conducted to understand their views on what constitutes ‘accessible tourism’, their experiences and views on the aspects of accessible tourism policy planning and management, including destination planning and design, accessibility facilities, and other management factors affecting strategies to attract visitors of various accessibility conditions. A qualitative analysis of the interviews affirms the importance placed by destination managers in providing accessible facilities. The management of the study sites combines physical facilities, visitor services, and accessible design into an all-around strategy to improve destination accessibility while maintaining the conservation of nature-based resources, which is an issue. A notable advantage is a people-oriented strategy to learn from the visitors, meet visitor demand, and improve visitor satisfaction with the sites.

Exploring the Impact of Tourist Experiences, Satisfaction, and Storytelling Intentions in Thailand’s Andaman Marine and Coastal Destinations: An Empirical Investigation

ABSTRACT Marine and coastal tourism plays a central role in strengthening the Thai economy. This study explores the complex relationship between tourists’ experiences, satisfaction, and storytelling intentions in Thailand’s Andaman marine and coastal destinations. A survey of 389 domestic tourists was used to investigate the key factors influencing satisfaction and their effects on storytelling intentions. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and Multiple Group Analysis were used to analyze the relationships between the variables. The results show that escapism, entertainment, and esthetics significantly influence satisfaction, while educational elements have no discernible influence. Satisfaction proved to be a crucial mediator between tourists’ experiences and storytelling intentions, regardless of visitors’ status. These findings are significant for the tourism industry, as they help policymakers and destination managers improve visitor experiences and promote positive word-of-mouth marketing. Understanding the factors that influence tourist satisfaction and storytelling intentions will inform strategies for sustainable growth in Thailand’s marine and coastal tourism.

The Tourist Gastronomic Experience: Ties Between Young Foodies’ Motivation and Destination Development in Portugal

Gastronomic tourism has become a dynamic segment within the tourism sector, serving as a vital tool for the economic, cultural, and environmental growth of regions that emphasize culinary experiences. This study examines the motivations of young food-motivated tourists (“foodies”) and their impact on travel choices and destination development. Using a quantitative methodology, data were collected from 170 respondents (131 valid answers) in Portugal. The data were collected through the PTFoodies survey, a tool specifically designed by the authors to analyze tourist motivations and their connections to destination attributes. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified five key factors—endogenous products, local gastronomy, quality and innovation, authenticity and tradition, and diversity—revealing a balance between sustainability, local authenticity, and openness to innovation in tourist preferences. Additionally, correlation analysis highlighted significant relationships between motivations, such as the strong association between an interest in culinary routes and event participation and between local product appreciation and the preference for organic food. These findings contribute to both theory and practice by refining motivational theories specific to gastronomic tourism, offering insights into destination development strategies and emphasizing sustainable practices that resonate with tourists’ preferences. The study provides destination managers with actionable strategies to attract food-motivated tourists and foster sustainable community growth through gastronomic tourism.

Beneficial or troublesome? Revealing the double-edged effects of tourism live streaming affordances on viewers’ engagement

ABSTRACT Tourism live streaming (TLS) empowers streamers to act with destinations, viewers, and products, namely TLS affordance. Underpinning the technology affordance theory, this study unravels the impact of the TLS affordances on TLS engagement of viewers by conducting an online survey. The results show that (1) TLS affordances have double-edged effects on destination brand engagement and viewer engagement; (2) product involvement moderates the Inverted U-shaped (U-shaped) effects of product visibility (guidance shopping) on memorable experiences (consumer skepticism). This study provides theoretical and practical implications for destination managers, live streamers, and product manufacturers in optimizing the efficiency of TLS affordances.

Effects of tourists’ online self-disclosure depth on readers’ visit intentions: mediating roles of perceived social distance and perceived self-expressiveness

ABSTRACT social media are important channels through which potential consumers can obtain information to inform travel decisions. This research examined the influence of tourists’ social media self-disclosure depth on information receivers’ visit intention. Hypotheses were tested using three experiments. Results revealed that tourists’ self-disclosure depth on social media positively affected readers’ visit intention directly. Tourists’ self-disclosure depth specifically reduced the social distance perception between posters and readers and improved a destination’s/hotel’s self-expressiveness perception, thereby enhancing readers’ visit intention. Spatial distance moderated these effects. These findings offered theoretical and managerial implications for destination managers and website designers to guide tourists’ self-disclosure.

The impact of Islamic attributes and motivations on visitor satisfaction and word of mouth in halal supply chain management

Halal supply chain management, with its focus on Islamic values in tourism, is increasingly recognized for enhancing destination competitiveness and visitor satisfaction. This study examines how Islamic attributes, motivations, and norms influence visitor satisfaction and word of mouth in Medan City's tourism sector. In the halal tourism industry, supply chain management plays a crucial role in ensuring that every stage from procurement, production, distribution, to service delivery complies with halal standards. The research aims to evaluate the impact of Islamic Physical Attributes, Islamic Non-Physical Attributes, Push Motivation, Pull Motivation, and Islamic Norms on visitor satisfaction and their subsequent effect on word of mouth. By employing a quantitative approach, the study utilizes structured questionnaires based on previous research and applies Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for analysis. Data were collected from 300 tourists in Medan City, including both local and international visitors. The study finds that Islamic Non-Physical Attributes and Pull Motivation significantly enhance visitor satisfaction. Islamic Physical Attributes also positively affect satisfaction, while Push Motivation does not. Satisfaction strongly influences word of mouth, but Islamic Norms negatively moderate this relationship. Islamic attributes and motivations play a crucial role in shaping visitor satisfaction in the tourism context. Islamic norms, however, may complicate the satisfaction-word of mouth link. The implementation of effective halal supply chain management can ensure that all aspects of supply chain management in halal tourism, from products to services, meet the expected halal standards. Practically, destination managers should emphasize Islamic attributes and motivational factors to improve visitor satisfaction. Theoretically, the study contributes to understanding the complex dynamics between satisfaction, norms, and word of mouth in halal tourism.

Multidimensional bandwagon effect and dual-process decision making: An integrated model of the theory of planned behavior from the perspective of American millennials' travel intention.

This study addresses the imperative need for an updated approach that incorporates evolving psychological insights and economic theories to better understand decision-making processes in the tourism sector. By integrating the bandwagon effect with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the study aims to gain deeper insights into the intention-forming processes of American millennials during the pre-trip stage when considering a visit to Thailand. The research amalgamates principles from behavioral economics and traditional psychological theory within the dual-process framework, providing a comprehensive understanding of how American millennials determine their visit intention. Through empirical analysis employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in a post-pandemic context, the study reveals that the multidimensional bandwagon effect significantly and synergistically influences American millennials' travel intention, attitude, and subjective norm, supporting a dual-process decision-making model. These findings elucidate how American millennials navigate heuristics and cognitive biases based on the theory of planned behavior framework, offering valuable insights for destination management organizations to refine their marketing and communication strategies effectively.

Guest experience and unique accommodation features in Göreme, Cappadocia: An Airbnb review analysis

This study investigates the influence of unique accommodation features on guest experiences in the Göreme town of Cappadocia, focusing on Airbnb reviews. By analyzing 5,677 reviews from 122 Airbnb listings, the research identifies key features such as cave dwellings, panoramic views, and hot air balloon experiences, which significantly contribute to guest satisfaction. A mixed-method approach has been used, combining frequency analysis and sentiment analysis, to evaluate how these unique elements shape guests' perceptions and overall satisfaction. The findings highlight the critical role of both aesthetic qualities and service standards, emphasizing the need for hosts to balance unique architectural features with essential hospitality services like cleanliness and maintenance. This research provides insights for Airbnb hosts and destination marketers to enhance the appeal of Cappadocia as a premier destination for immersive, authentic tourism experiences. The study also offers strategic recommendations for improving marketing efforts and destination management by leveraging Cappadocia's cultural and natural heritage to create memorable guest experiences. As a suggestion for future research, it may be useful to extend the findings of this study to a wider geographical area and examine different tourist profiles.

Marketing Strategies For Eco-Tourism in Air Terjun Gunung Janggot, Central Lombok Regency: A Focus on Sustainability and Community Engagement

The Central Lombok area is renowned for its natural tourist destinations, such as beaches and waterfalls. However, many natural attractions, like the Air Terjun Gunung Janggot in Aik Berik Village, North Batukliang District, remain relatively unknown to tourists. This study investigates marketing strategies for eco-tourism at Air Terjun Janggot, emphasizing sustainability and community engagement. The region has significant potential to develop into a sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism destination. The purpose of this research is to determine the promotional strategies used for Air Terjun Gunung Janggot. Data collection methods include qualitative approaches such as observation, documentation, and interviews. The findings reveal that the promotional strategy employed primarily involves the POSE strategy, focusing on Owned Media as the main tool for digital promotion. The research also evaluates various other marketing methodologies, including the utilization of social media, narrative-based promotion, and community-centered marketing. Local community involvement is highlighted as a critical component, considering both their role in the operation of the destination and their potential benefits from tourism activities. A participatory and inclusive approach is advocated, which is anticipated to enhance local economic prosperity while safeguarding the natural environment of Air Terjun Janggot. The study provides actionable recommendations for destination managers and relevant stakeholders to implement effective and sustainable marketing strategies.

Social Media Branding Strategy to Increase the Tourist Attraction of the Palintang Rock Cliffs, Wargaluyu Village

Cadas Palintang Cliff at Wargaluyu village has great natural potential and high value as a tourist destination. Although its popularity among tourists is still limited. This journal aims to strategise branding through the use of social media in an effort to increase interest in tourism at Cadas Palintang Cliff. USing quantitative approach, this journal analises branding strategies which focuses on destination image management, content creation, along with the usage of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Data is collected through deep interviews with tourism management, social media content analyzer, and direct observation. Study shows that consistent and interesting branding, combined with active interaction on social media, can increase tourist’s interest and broaden the market. Usage of local hashtags, collaboration with influencers, along with visual content which highlights the beautiful nature of Cadas Palintang Cliff became a key element in this strategy. This journal suggests recommendations to tourist’s destination management in optimizing social media to promote tourist’s destination sustainably.

Designing EDGE (Enhanced destination growth and engagement) to Improve the performance of marine tourism in East Java

Marine tourism has emerged as a significant contributor to the regional economy in East Java, Indonesia. However, the growth of this sector is hindered by inadequate infrastructure, limited community engagement, and underdeveloped marketing strategies. This research presents the EDGE (Enhanced Destination Growth and Engagement) model as a comprehensive solution to enhance the performance of marine tourism destinations in East Java. EDGE is a strategic framework that integrates sustainable destination management, innovation-driven tourism product development, and community-based participation. The study employs a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Key findings reveal that the implementation of EDGE leads to increased visitor satisfaction, improved local community involvement, and heightened environmental sustainability. Recommendations for policy integration and long-term development are also discussed.

EXPRESS: Tourist Decision-Making and Types of Crises: Risk Attitudes, Knowledge and Destination Preference Persistence

The paper addresses how individual rankings of destinations change between non-crisis and crisis conditions, and across different types of crises under conditions of bounded rationality in the face of shifting risks and uncertainties. The impacts of three types of potential crises—heatwaves, epidemics and terrorism—are analysed using novel multi-perspective experimental methods, linked to a five-country international survey of risk attitudes and knowledge. Destination preferences, including strong persistence during crises, are explained by how the influence of tacit and codified knowledge is shaped by the familiarity heuristic and recency bias. Individual responses are also moderated by tolerance of and competence to manage risks. The findings have useful implications for destination management and marketing.