ABSTRACT
Destination image influences tourist behavior before, during, and after travel, as it is an important instrument which contributes to tourists’ loyalty. Although CitationGartner (1993) advocates that the cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions of destination image are hierarchically interrelated, there is no empirical evidence to support the complete model. This study aims to test the hierarchical nature of the relationship between the dimensions of destination image. The results of structural equation modeling confirm Gartner's theoretical model, validating the theory that the influence of the cognitive component on the conative dimension is higher when mediated by the affective component, raising managerial implications.
Notes
This article is partially financed by FCT–Foundation for Science and Technology.