The Effects of Perceived Destination Ability and Destination Brand Love on Tourists’ Loyalty to Post-Disaster Tourism Destinations: The Case of Korean Tourists to Japan

ABSTRACT

This study explores the causal relationships between perceived destination ability, three dimensions of brand love (passionate love, emotional attachment, and self-brand integration), switching resistance loyalty, and behavioral loyalty. To test the proposed hypotheses, structural equation modeling was employed based on data from 417 Korean tourists traveling to Japan. The results show significant relationships between the study’s constructs. The results provide valuable insights into the extended model and have important managerial implications for Japan’s destination management organizers facing post-disaster situations.

KEYWORDS:

• Post-disaster tourism destination
• perceived destination ability
• brand love
• switching resistance loyalty
• behavioral loyalty

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korean Government (MSIP) [grant number 2015R1A5A7037751].

Notes on contributors

Kwang-Ho Lee

Kwang-Ho Lee is Assistant Professor, Hospitality and Food Management Program, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Ball State University, AT Building 235, Muncie, IN 47306, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).

Sunghyup Sean Hyun

Sunghyup Sean Hyun is Associate Professor, School of Tourism, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdonggu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea (E-mail: [email protected]).