An investigation of the relationships among destination image, place attachment, and visitation intention of heritage tourists /

Abstract

Civil War heritage research has centered mostly on the issues of the preservation of Civil War heritage with few studies focusing on tourists' perspectives. Studies exploring tourists' travel decision-making present a challenge in tourism research due to diverse tourist backgrounds. However, this research examined the relationships among destination image, place attachment, and visitation intention specific to the Civil War heritage sites. In an effort to secure more effective marketing promotional efforts for sustainable tourism, researchers must examine the relationship between first time and repeat visitors along with the relationships among the three concepts simultaneously. Hence, it is valuable to identify destination image of Civil War heritage tourists. Furthermore, examining the cognitive-affective framework of destination image and its effect on the place attachment and visitation intention could enhance the current understanding of this heritage group. Objectives for the current study included defining heritage tourists' characteristics with respect to socio-demographic and trip behavior related variables; identifying tourists' destination image; examining the relationships among destination image, place attachment, and visitation intention specific to Civil War heritage sites; and examining the differences between first-time and repeat tourists in overall destination image, place attachment, and visitation intention. Principal axis factor analysis was used to identify seven destination image factors: local unique Civil War attractions, entertainment, amenities, ease of access, attractive scenery/opportunity, well-preserved historic structures, countryside attractions, and three place attachment dimensions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that cognitive and affective images significantly predicted tourists' place attachment. Namely, cognitive and affective images and place attachment significantly predict tourists' visitation intention. Cognitive an