Journal of Hospitality Application and Research

Shankar R. Sabari ¹

Affiliations
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Professional Studies, Christ (Deemed to be University) Bengaluru, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

With increasing tourists’ distinct motives, the tourism industry is at the pinnacle to enhance their offerings and to position its destinations in the competitive outset. Destination branding has been considered as the most appropriate approach by the destination marketers to achieve the frontiers and destination image plays a vital role in it. Affective image being the integral aspect of image studies has high relevance in understanding tourists’ behavior. In such context, this empirical study intended to understand the impact of tourists’ inconveniences in the destination on its affective image. Intensive literature found the lack of evidence on this perspective and thereby constitute as the primary objective of the research. A Structured questionnaire was designed after iterations and pilot study and floated to 570 tourists. Based on the eligible responses, 448 sample size was fixed to perform the analysis. The questionnaire contained necessary statements measuring the inconveniences of tourists and the affective image. Exploratory Factor Analysis of SPSS was used as the data reduction technique, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling of AMOS were used for confirming the existence of individual factor models and for final model that depicted the objective of the study, respectively. Model fit was found and the outcomes indicated that there was influence of inconveniences faced by tourists on the affective image of the destination. Implications were drawn based on the research findings

Keywords

Destination, Affective Image, Tourists, Inconveniences, SEM

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Shankar R. Sabari ¹, Elizabeth Renju Koshy ², Sonia Katherin Mathew ³

Affiliations
1 Pedagogical Research Associate, IIMBx, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Karnataka, IN
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Professional Studies, Christ University, Karnataka, IN
3 Associate Professor, Department of Management, Musaliar College of Engineering and Technology, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, IN

Abstract

This empirical research paper was an extract from a major research work on understanding the tourists experience and post visit behaviour. Tourism industry confronted furious competition as marketers brand and position their destination in global market through lucrative strategies. One of the most predominant approaches was conceiving a favourable image of the destinations. Studies in this arena had highlighted the importance of information sources in destination image formation process. Accordingly, the primary objective of this work was to understand the structural deteminance of information sources, that included online and offline sources on the tourists’ perceived cognitive image of the destinations. Literary sources were analysed and supporting evidence was pulled out. A model was formulated and hypothesis was framed stating that information sources determine the cognitive destination image. A structured questionnaire containing necessary statements measuring the sources of information and perceived cognitive image of the destination was circulated and the data was collected from 400 tourists using convenient sampling technique. Sample size was rounded to 370 after rejecting the illegible responses. A three stage approach that included Exploratory Factor Analysis of SPSS, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling of AMOS were used to test the hypothesis and the validity of the model. The model fit was identified for the individual factors and for the structural model. Also, the test results indicated the significant impact of information sources on cognitive image. Though there were studies that found the significance similar to this study, the novelty was indicated through the model. Studies were not found modelling these two factors viz; information sources and cognitive destination image. Suggestions were provided for the destination marketers. Limitations and Scope for further research were indicated.

Keywords

Information Sources, Cognitive, Destination, Image, Tourists

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