A study on destination image perceptions of domestic tourists

Abstract

The concept of destination image has turned into a widely researched concept to revitalize local regions. As various regions develop in tourism, they give tourists or potential tourists more choice rights, and individuals' decision process is affected via different destination options. The destination image reflects the satisfaction levels, perceptions, and experiences of tourists cognitively and emotionally. Within the scope of the research, a face-to-face survey was conducted by applying the convenience sampling method to collect the data of 497 local tourists who visited Bartın Amasra, an urban tourism destination in Turkey founded in the 3000s BC and with a unique history of 5000 years. The “Destination Image Scale” was benefited through the quantitative research technique in the study. Besides, open-ended questions were asked to determine the travel behavior of tourists. Based on the findings, it is evident that domestic tourists who come to Amasra primarily attach importance to “the sea, nature, and cultural structure”. It was also found that tourists act according to their family and friends' advice the most as a source of information in their preference for Amasra. Also, the emotional states tourists feel throughout their destination visits have come to the forefront as “Peaceful, Happy, Good and Comfortable”. While there is a significant difference in the level of participation of tourists in the dimension of the affective image in favor of women at the gender level, there is a significant difference in the dimension of the cognitive image in favor of those with higher education levels. Within the scope of the study, the elements that may come to the forefront in promoting the relevant region as a desirable travel destination have been disclosed. As a result, it is clear that the perceptions of domestic tourists visiting Amasra regarding the image of the destination are high.