Effect of Destination Branding on Tourists\u27 Attitudes Toward Tamshui, Taiwan

From the managerial and customer-based perspectives, this research proposed a conceptual model that integrates product-based brand equity and the theory of planned behavior in evaluating the performance of tourist destination brands. In today\u27s increasingly competitive tourism market, destination branding can be an effective technique for building successful site images and marketing programs. This technique may vary in focus to highlight the unique features of different destination stops. There has been limited research devoted to tourism brands and brand constructs in promoting tourist attractions. Specifically, not enough has been done to fully analyze tourists\u27 attitudes toward destination branding although attitude has long been ascertained in psychology to be the major determinant of future decision-making. Using the integrated model, this dissertation study proposed a feasible instrumentation to measure the effect of destination branding on tourists\u27 attitudes. A street intercept survey was conducted at Tamshui, a leading destination in Taiwan. Findings indicate that Tamshui has performed unsatisfactorily in presenting a desired image to the target market. As a result, it needs to adopt a systematic approach to strengthen its brand loyalty by improving its internal quality services and marketing communications