Perceived brand salience and destination brand loyalty from international tourists’ perspectives: the case of Dead Sea destination, Jordan

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine an integrated model of perceived brand salience, perceived brand quality, perceived brand image and perceived brand loyalty in the Dead Sea tourism destination of Jordan from international tourists’ perspectives. Design/methodology/approach – A structured and self-administered survey was employed targeting international tourists who were visiting the Dead Sea tourism destination. The authors delivered 300 questionnaires to international tourists, from which 237 were retained and valid for the analysis. A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses was used to assess the research constructs dimensions, unidimensionality, validity and composite reliability. Structural path analysis was also used to test the hypothesized relationships of the research model. Findings – The structural findings show that perceived brand salience has positively and significantly affected each of perceived brand quality and perceived destination loyalty. Perceived brand quality has positively and significantly affected each of perceived brand image-physical environment, perceived brand image-people characteristics and perceived destination loyalty. Each of perceived brand image-physical environment and perceived brand image-people characteristics has positively and significantly affected perceived destination loyalty. The structural findings indicate that perceived brand quality has exerted the strongest effect on each of perceived brand image-physical environment and perceived brand image-people characteristics. Further, the structural results show that R2 result of 0.48 indicates that 48 per cent of variation in perceived destination loyalty was caused by perceived brand quality, perceived brand image dimensions (physical environment and people characteristics) and perceived brand salience path. Research limitations/implications – This paper has examined only three drivers of destination loyalty; meanwhile, other factors such as tourists’ satisfaction and retention are potential areas of future research. Also, this study investigated international tourists’ perspectives in the Dead Sea tourism destination only, which means that its generalization potential to other destinations is limited. Therefore, comparative studies inside and outside Jordan’s tourism destinations are potential areas of future research. Other limitations and future research areas are also outlined. Practical implications – The paper highlights the strategic importance of perceived brand quality and perceived brand image dimensions (physical environment and people characteristics) on perceived destination loyalty. Perceived brand quality acts as strong antecedent to perceived brand image dimensions, and perceived brand salience is an essential element of perceived destination loyalty. Perceived brand quality, perceived brand image dimensions and perceived brand salience are major drivers of perceived brand destination in an integrated manner. Also, perceived brand image dimensions of the physical environment and people friendless and kindness are also vital for creating perceived destination loyalty. Further, an integrated model of perceived brand salience, perceived brand quality, perceived brand image dimensions and destination loyalty is required by tourism organizations operating in the Dead Sea destination to win international tourists now and in the future. Originality/value – This paper represents an early attempt to reveal and examine potential drivers of perceived destination loyalty in the Dead Sea, Jordan. Accordingly, it should shed more light into the strategic role of perceived brand quality, perceived brand salience and perceived brand image dimensions and how they affect perceived destination loyalty. Further, the paper is the first of its kind that investigated an integrated model of perceived brand salience and perceived destination loyalty via perceived brand quality and image dimensions from international tourist perspectives in Jordan. The main issue here is that tourism organizations operating in the Dead Sea tourism destination have now valuable empirical evidence concerning the drivers of perceived destination loyalty from international tourists’ perspectives.