Influence of Tourist Geographical Context on Customer-Based Destination Brand Equity: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

The present work seeks to address significant research gaps relating to brand equity and Service-Dominant Logic, specifically examining the influence of tourist geographical context on Consumer-based Destination Brand Equity (CBDBE). The purpose of the study is to identify an explanatory model for CBDBE, considering the indirect effects that tourists from a nearby geographical location may exert on CBDBE, because of their proximity and shared context. Self-congruity, tourist motivations, and value-creation are found to be antecedent variables of CBDBE. A spatial econometric model was used that took into account the spatial spillover-effect of geographical proximity on the variable CBDBE, and the direct and indirect effects of the antecedent variables. The results of the study make a contribution to the specialized literature on brand destination and Service-Dominant Logic, and offer interesting implications for the professional domain, with clear implications for the identification of market development patterns and trends.

Examining the Antecedents of Brand Engagement of Tourists Based on the Theory of Value Co-Creation

“…The mediating effect of brand value was larger than the mediating effects of brand trust; however, both were essential in different specific segmentation paths. The results shed light on the theory of value co-creation [20,21] and the theory of consumer-based brand equity for destinations [19,22]. Furthermore, the results provide empirical support for promoting the management of brand equity for similar destinations and encouraging tourists to participate in value co-creation activities.…”

“…The model in this study includes three independent variables: brand image, brand awareness, and brand quality; two mediating variables: brand value and brand trust; and one dependent variable: brand engagement. Based on the theory of value co-creation and the theory of consumer-based brand equity for destinations [19][20][21][22], this study examined the antecedents of brand engagement and verified the associated mechanisms. The new perspective, obtained by combining the two theories above, has shed light on building brand equity for destinations from the perspective of value co-creation, which broadens the existing theories [19][20][21][22], and points out the directions for the next steps.…”

“…Brand equity is the key factor for products or services to acquire competitive advantages, which is one of the most critical issue in the field of marketing management [37]. With increasing attention being paid to the consumers, the theory of consumer-based brand equity for destinations has been proposed and, subsequently, widely used in the field of destination marketing [19,22]. Consumer-based brand equity for destinations involves tourist's attitudes and emotions about destination marketing activities, based on their brand knowledge [38].…”

“…Secondly, the study put forward a new research perspective, combining the two theories of brand equity and value co-creation above through taking brand engagement variable as the bridge, which broadens the existing theories [19][20][21][22] and points out directions for the next steps.…”

“…The contributions of this paper are as follows: this study examines the antecedents of brand engagement and the causal paths among them and compares the estimated values of different paths, which enriches the methodology of the theory of brand equity for destinations and provides a refined research paradigm for the theory of value co-creation. This paper puts forward a new perspective by combining the two theories mentioned above, broadening existing theories [19][20][21][22]. This paper introduces a new perspective on the value co-creation of tourists, which expands the theory of destination marketing.…”