Title: Direct and indirect effect of tourist self-image congruence on the tourism destination brand loyalty

Authors: Bahram Ranjbarian; Mohammad Ghaffari

Addresses: Department of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, 81746-73441, Isfahan, Iran ' Faculty of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, 17181-17469, Qom, Iran

Abstract: Tourist self-image congruence helps explain and predict different attitudinal and behavioural facets of tourists such as tourist loyalty to destination brand. Examination of the effect of tourist self-image congruence on tourist loyalty to destination can be helpful in tourism destination brand management. This is why the present study aims at investigating the direct and indirect effects of tourists' self-image congruence on their loyalty to destination brand. This study tests a model that includes self-image congruence, tourism destination image, satisfaction and loyalty. Path modelling was used to test the hypotheses using a sample of 200 inbound tourists who had travelled to Isfahan in the first season of 2016. The results of this study revealed that self-image congruence affects destination brand image significantly; self-image congruence affects destination brand satisfaction and brand loyalty significantly; destination brand image affects destination brand satisfaction and brand loyalty significantly; destination brand satisfaction affects destination brand loyalty significantly. Broadly speaking, the results of this study increase the understanding of tourists' self-image congruence and loyalty offering important practical and theoretical implications.

Keywords: self-image congruence; destination brand image; destination brand satisfaction; destination brand loyalty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2018.094477

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2018 Vol.8 No.3, pp.187 - 202

Received: 22 Jun 2017
Accepted: 09 Apr 2018
Published online: 03 Sep 2018 *

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