The relationship between sustainable development and place image of a tourist destination: proposition of a structural model

In the 1960s tourism began its advance as an economic sector and went on to be promoted in developing countries as a possible solution to some of their problems. Given this fact, marketing has started to become a key element in the management of tourism and tourist destination, well prepared to bring attractiveness to the place, given the intensification of competition between tourist destinations strategies are necessary. However, when considering the success of the tourist destination in the long term, one must take into account the importance of the sustainability of the place, adopting strategies to make the competitive tourist destination without compromising their survival. Based on these facts, the study looked at the relationship between sustainable development and the image of the tourist destination in order to contribute to making strategic actions that promote the competitiveness of the place. A survey was done with 280 tourists, from which statistical analyzes and structural equation modeling were applied. The results showed the direct and positive influence of sustainable development on the image of the tourist destination, confirming its relevance as a factor to be considered in the marketing strategies for the competitiveness of the place