Can aboriginal images contribute to aboriginal cultural identity? Evidence from the perspective of tourists’ images

ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the relationships among cognitive, affective, and conative images and aboriginal cultural identity among tourists who visit tjuvecekadan and wutai flagstone houses. The analytical results indicate that tourists’ post-visiting cognitive, affective, and conative images and perceptions of aboriginal cultural identity were significantly higher than their pre-visiting values. For both tjuvecekadan and wutai, tourists’ cognitive image was positively and significantly related to their affective image, and their affective image was positively and significantly related to their conative image. Tourists’ cognitive image was positively and significantly related to aboriginal cultural identity for tjuvecekadan but not wutai. Tourists’ affective image was positively and significantly related to aboriginal identity for wutai but not tjuvecekadan. Tourists’ conative image was positively and significantly related to aboriginal cultural identity for both tjuvecekadan and wutai. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, providing valuable contributions for current issues in tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive image
• affective image
• conative image
• aboriginal cultural identity
• aboriginal flagstone houses

Disclosure statement

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