A RIDIT approach to evaluate factors influencing tourist destination brand selection behaviour pertaining to Indian tourism sector

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine the components or factors influencing tourists’ destination brand selection behaviour in Indian context with evidence-based management modelling by using the Relative to an Identified Distribution (RIDIT) approach. This evidence-based tourism marketing research has contributed to enhance understanding the tourists’ motivation to support decision in tourism marketing domain. The present study has focused on identifying the most relevant factors in the order of priority that influence destination brand-choice behaviour pertaining to Indian tourism sector. The current research has also tried to arrange the different items relating to tourists preferences for better understanding the insight of potential tourists relating to Indian-tourist destinations. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive, survey research design was chosen to investigate and organize the different components or items in degrees of priority to explain the tourists’ destination brand selection behaviour. In total, 387 empirical tourist samples were collected across India covering both domestic and international tourist segments. An evidence-based management modelling with RIDIT analysis is done to examine the factors, which have influencing role on tourist-destination brand choice behaviour related to Indian tourism market. Findings The outcome of this research paper should enable the tourism marketers, tourism service providers, tourism brand managers and consultants to create better linkages between the prospective tourists’ preferences and the marketing mix of the destination brands by using evidence based management modelling. Originality/value The present research is an original and innovative thought process, trying to evaluate the components or factors influencing tourists’ destination brand selection behaviour pertaining to Indian tourism sector by using the RIDIT approach. Research undertaken so far in tourism marketing area has investigated the different components related to tourism behaviour and destination-brand selection intention of the potential tourists in an unintended and less organized manner. This study can be seen as the first empirical evidence in the domain of tourism marketing where evidence based management modelling with RIDIT approach is done.