Host Image and Destination Personality

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop a path analytical model to test multiple direct and indirect relationships involving tourists' perception of host image, destination personality, and behavioral intentions. Specifically, the study tested hypotheses that host image has a positive impact on destination personality that in return will have a positive effect on intent to return and word of mouth. To assess the mediating role of the destination personality, direct effects of host image on intent to return and word of mouth were also investigated. The data were collected from a sample of 365 German travelers to the Mediterranean region of Turkey. The findings of the study indicate that destination personality has three dimensions: conviviality, sincerity, and excitement, and tourists do use these concepts to form symbolic meanings of destinations. These dimensions have a positive influence on intent to return and word of mouth, whereas host image has a positive impact on the destination personality dimensions. The influences of host image on each destination personality dimension show variations in terms of significance and strength of the relationship. Although host image has a positive effect on intent to return, its overall contribution to the explained variance is small. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed within the context of destination branding theory.

The Relation Between the Landscape Design and Brand Image in Purchase Preferences of Tourists: The Case of Safranbolu and Nevşehir, in Turkey

“…Earlier studies have tested the adaptability of the image and personality concepts, which were originally developed in other fields and disciplines, into the context of tourism (e.g. Baloglu Given their explicit importance to brand loyalty, positioning and destination selection (Ekinci, Sirakaya-Turk, and Baloglu, 2007;Keller, 1998;Baloglu et al, 2014), this is somewhat surprising. In addition, a recent study indicated that visitors do not use brand personality descriptors when asked to provide free-elicited responses to describe tourist destinations (Kneesel et al, 2010;Baloglu et al, 2014).…”

The state of the art: from country-of-origin to strategies for economic development

“…The orchestration of different activities requires the collaboration and commitment of agencies and stakeholders from public and private sectors. In fact, destination branding relies on a continuous process of multi-stakeholder, collaborative decision-making, which demands a long-term and holistic management strategy (Ekinci et al 2007). …”

Serbian Adaptation of the Brand Personality Scale (Bps): an Application to Tourism Destinations

“…However, the findings suggest that there are specificities in applying BPS on travel destinations in different cultures (Bishnoi & Kumar, 2016). Also, there are no consistent results about a number of factors, such as the structure of BPS in application for destination descriptions in different cultures (Ekinci et al, 2007;Murphy et al, 2007a;Usakli & Baloglu, 2011). There is certainly a need for a consensus, one universally accepted version of the scale, or a set of common dimensions that all researchers of destination personality would employ.…”

“…With this research, intention was to explore whether the BPS items were appropriate for describing destination personality by the Serbian tourists, and test the factor structure of BPS. Most of the current research concerning destination personality are based on BPS, and have been applied on different cultures and on international tourists ( (Ekinci et al, 2007;Murphy et al, 2007a;Usakli & Baloglu, 2011). There is certainly a need for a consensus, one universally accepted version of the scale, or a set of common dimensions that all researchers of destination personality would employ.…”

“…With this research, intention was to explore whether the BPS items were appropriate for describing destination personality by the Serbian tourists, and test the factor structure of BPS. Most of the current research concerning destination personality are based on BPS, and have been applied on different cultures and on international tourists (such as Turkey - Sahin & Baloglu, 2009;Ekinci et al, 2007, Africa -Pitt et al, 2007, Australia -Murphy et al, 2007a, US -Usakli & Baloglu, 2011, UK -Ekinci & Hosany, 2006. However, the findings suggest that there are specificities in applying BPS on travel destinations in different cultures (Bishnoi & Kumar, 2016).…”