Demystifying destination attachment, self-congruity and revisiting intention in dark tourism destinations through the gender-based lens

ABSTRACT

Drawing on self-congruity theory, we construct and examine a theoretical model that explores the effect of destination attachment on revisiting intention via ideal and actual self-congruity through a gender-based lens. We gathered data from 301 travellers visiting the Çanakkale dark destination in Türkiye and empirically analysed it by adopting PLS-Henseler’s multigroup and PLS-permutation analysis. Our results confirm significant differences between the effects of destination attachment and self-congruity dimensions (e.g. ideal and actual self-congruity) on travellers’ revisit intention. However, only ideal self-congruity mediates the relationships of attachment towards revisit intention, with this intervention effect being positive for males whereas negative for females. This study offers prominent theoretical and practical contributions to the gender-based destination-marketing research agenda with reliable suggestions for dark-destination authorities and marketers.

KEYWORDS:

• Destination attachment
• self-congruity
• revisit intention
• gender
• Çanakkale dark destination
• PLS-permutation analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ibrahim Cifci

Ibrahim Cifci, is an Assistant Professor and Associate Editor of the Journal of Tourismology published at Istanbul University, Turkey. His research interests include faith tourism, sustainable tourism, sharing economy, destination marketing, gastronomy and science-based cooking. He has published widely in high-impact journals such as Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, British Food Journal, International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, Leisure Sciences, among others. Cifci, serves as an editorial team member and reviewer of several reputed SSCI Journals. He loves cooking and is particularly interested in all food-related matters.

Raouf Ahmad Rather

Raouf Ahmad Rather, is scientific independent researcher in Jammu & Kashmir, India. His research interests centre on marketing, tourism and hospitality management, and the sharing-economy. His work to-date is published in journals, including Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, and Journal of Destination Marketing and Management among others.

Oguz Taspinar

Oguz Taspinar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey. He obtained his Ph.D. and Master’s degree in Tourism Management (Turkey). He specializes in tourism studies. His research interests include gastronomy and tourism management.

Gizem Kandemir Altunel

Gizem Kandemir Altunel has a Bachelor's, Master's and, a Ph.D. degree in Tourism Management from Istanbul University, Turkey. Currently, she serves academia as scientific independent researcher in Turkey. Her research interests include tourism, tourism experience, and molecular gastronomy.