The Influence of the Resident's Identification with a Tourism Destination Brand on Their Behavior

Abstract

This study empirically tests the role of residents in branding tourism destinations, which has rarely been explored. Results from a survey of 371 residents in Hawaii show positive relationships between residents' identification with their destination brand and their behavior in three ways: (a) activities to help increase visitors' satisfaction with their experience, (b) intentions for positive word-of-mouth, and (c) participation in tourism and leisure activities. Results imply that destination marketing organizations and tourism service providers should understand the importance of the internal branding processes among residents, and should incorporate them into their destination branding strategy.

Keywords:

• Destination
• branding
• internal marketing
• residents
• brand identification