Conceptualising and Measuring Destination Brand Equity: the Tourists' Perspective
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Fang, Xi (2021) Conceptualising and measuring destination brand equity: the tourists' perspective. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/82142/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] CONCEPTUALISING AND MEASURING DESTINATION BRAND EQUITY: THE TOURISTS’ PERSPECTIVE By Xi Fang Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Adam Smith Business School College of Social Sciences University of Glasgow May 2021 II Abstract This study aims to empirically reconceptualise destination consumer-based brand equity (D- CBBE), which is tourists’ perspective of the band equity of a tourism destination. While brand equity theory has been heavily researched in the general marketing field, many questions remain unanswered when applying it to a destination context. Although the vast majority of relevant studies support the multidimensional nature of D-CBBE, there is a lack of consensus in the tourism literature as to how many dimensions should be included. More importantly, while existing studies on D-CBBE have largely followed brand theory from the general branding area, the differences between destinations and general products have not been clearly considered. To address the above gaps, the D-CBBE model provided in this study proposes an evolving causal chain formed by individual building blocks, namely: Destination-Brand Building Block (BBB), Destination-Brand Understanding Block (BUB) and Destination-Brand Relationship Block (BRB) which led to the development of a strong overall destination brand equity (OBE). Using the case of Scotland, this study adopts sequential mixed-methods approach. This, includes qualitative Study 1, a content-analysis of tourism websites’ information; qualitative Study 2, semi-structured interviews with tourists; and quantitative Study 3, an e-survey with tourists. The key findings demonstrate the development of D-CBBE as a causal chain (BBB-> BUB-> BRB) and detect sufficient combinations of conditions in each block that lead to the next one and, eventually, to the development of the OBE. The findings of Study 1 and 2 refine and reinforce this D-CBBE process model. The key findings in Study 3 provide a fine-grained understanding of the operationalisation of the model by detecting all the complex, causal patterns within this D- CBBE process, which successfully lead to the OBE. The study also highlights the use of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis as a novel and valuable method that is uniquely suited to the examination of complex and dynamic phenomena in the tourism area. Fruitful managerial implications are offered allowing an advanced, comprehensive view of tourists’ multiple types of reactions towards a destination brand, such as their perceptions, understanding and feelings, explaining further how all these are operationalised towards the achievement of a strong OBE. Specifically, destination marketers could develop strong OBE by improving a combination of core destination characteristics, such as the natural environment, infrastructure, brand personality, and nostalgia. High levels of OBE could also be predicted by focusing on tourists’ understanding towards the destination, which combines awareness, associations and self-connection as core elements. Alternatively, the relationship between tourists and destinations, including brand trust, intimacy, relevance and partner- quality can be improved simultaneously to generate a strong destination brand. III Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... II Contents ................................................................................................................... III List of Figures .......................................................................................................... X Acknowledgement .................................................................................................. XI Author’s Declaration ............................................................................................. XII Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ XIII Chapter 1 : Introduction ........................................................................................ 14 1.1 Research focus ............................................................................................ 14 1.2 Research purpose and objective ............................................................... 18 1.3 Research methodology ............................................................................... 20 1.4 Expected contributions ............................................................................... 21 1.5 Thesis structure ........................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2 : Literature Review............................................................................... 23 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 23 2.2 Destination marketing and branding ......................................................... 23 2.2.1 Understanding the destination ............................................................ 23 2.2.2 Multi-stakeholders in the destination ................................................. 25 2.2.3 Understanding destination marketing and branding ....................... 25 2.2.4 Complexity of destination branding ................................................... 27 2.2.5 Consumers’ perspective of destination branding ............................ 28 2.3 Brand equity in the general and destination marketing literature ........ 28 2.3.1 Definition and importance of brand equity ........................................ 29 2.3.2 Brand equity as approached in the literature .................................... 31 2.3.3 Definition and main characteristics of consumer-based brand equity ............................................................................................................... 37 2.4. Approaches used to capture consumer-based brand equity in the general marketing literature ............................................................................. 39 2.4.1 Dimensions used to capture consumer-based brand equity .......... 39 2.4.2 Relationship between the suggested dimensions and consumer- based brand equity ........................................................................................ 44 2.4.3 Consumer-based brand equity as an evolving process .................. 46 2.5. Approaches used to capture destination consumer-based brand equity ................................................................................................................... 48 2.5.1 Dimensions of destination consumer-based brand equity ............. 48 2.5.2 Relationship between the dimensions and overall brand equity ... 51 2.6. Shortcomings in the capturing of destination consumer-based brand equity ................................................................................................................... 53 2.7. Need for adaptation of consumer-based brand equity as a process model for destination brands ........................................................................... 55 2.7.1 Brand building block ............................................................................ 56 2.7.2 Brand understanding block ................................................................. 57 IV 2.7.3 Brand relationship block ...................................................................... 58 2.7.4 Overall brand equity ............................................................................. 59 2.7.5 Relating to research objectives .......................................................... 60 2.8 Chapter summary ........................................................................................ 60 Chapter 3 : Research Methodology ..................................................................... 61 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 61 3.2 Research paradigm ..................................................................................... 62 3.3 Overall research design .............................................................................. 64 3.4 Research context: Scotland ....................................................................... 67 3.5 Study 1: Inductive content analysis .......................................................... 70 3.5.1 Choice of the websites ......................................................................... 71 3.5.2 Data cleaning procedures .................................................................... 73 3.5.3 Data analysis ......................................................................................... 74 3.5.4 Rigour in the