Validating a multidimensional perspective of brand equity on motivation, expectation, and behavioural intention: a practical examination of culinary tourism

ABSTRACT

This study presents a brand equity theory of culinary tourism by integrating behavioural theory with the mediation-moderation model. The culinary tourism brand-equity model underscores the value of tourists’ expectations as a means to enhance the effects of travel motivation on behavioural intention. This study empirically tests this theory using a sample of 513 foreign tourists and provides evidence that travel motivation mediates the relationship between the four critical attributes of brand equity and behavioural intention. Furthermore, the results confirm the interrelationships within brand equity and reveal that tourist expectations positively moderate the relationship between travel motivation and behavioural intention. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Brand equity
• motivation
• expectation
• behavioural intention
• culinary tourism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Research on the Service-Oriented Enterprise Staff’s Professional Sense of Insecurity and Loyalty was supported by High-Level Talent Incubating Project of Huaqiao University.