Title: 'I still feel lost……..in those wonderful event memories': enablers of event and destination image

Authors: Santanu Mandal; Pratyush Bhowmik; Deepthi R. Panicker; Payel Das

Addresses: GITAM Institute of Management, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam-530045, Andhra Pradesh, India ' Amrita School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, P.O. Amrita nagar, Ettimadai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641112, India ' Amrita School of Business, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, P.O. Amrita nagar, Ettimadai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641112, India ' School of Communications, XIM University Bhubaneshwar, Odisha-752050, India

Abstract: While studies have explored the importance of destination image in enhancing tourism, there have been limited investigations regarding event image and destination from a nostalgia perspective. In this study, we explore the role of nostalgia, cultural connection, and positive word of mouth in shaping event and destination images. Furthermore, the study explores how event and destination image thus developed shapes intention to recommend and revisit intentions for tourists. The study executed a survey from 159 individuals having positive memories of an event at a destination. The completed responses were analysed using partial least squares in ADANC0 2.2. The partial least squares results show that nostalgia, cultural connections, and positive word of mouth significantly influence the image of events and destinations. Furthermore, the image of events and destinations has a significant influence on the intention to recommend and to visit the destination again.

Keywords: event; destination; image; culture; nostalgia; revisit intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2022.122235

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2022 Vol.12 No.2, pp.179 - 202

Received: 29 Jul 2021
Accepted: 04 Oct 2021
Published online: 13 Apr 2022 *

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