旅游目的地品牌象征性意义对到访意向的影响研究

Impact of the Symbolic Meaning of Destination Brands on Visit Intentions

象征性消费是营销领域一个备受关注的话题,品牌的象征性意义对消费者的购买行为有着重要的影响已得到了很多研究的证实。在旅游目的地逐步走上品牌化发展道路的趋势下,探讨目的地品牌的象征性意义及其营销价值无疑有着重要的理论和实践意义。文章以城市(天津市)和自然景区(九寨沟)两类目的地为例,实证分析了目的地品牌象征性意义对旅游者到访意向的影响作用。首先,借鉴心理学和以往有关品牌象征性意义的测量研究选取了测量问项,验证了目的地品牌象征性意义的个体自我表达、关系自我巩固、群体归属以及社会声望和地位彰显4个维度结构。其次,采用结构方程模型对数据进行分析,结果显示被调查者对个体自我表达、关系自我巩固和群体归属三项目的地品牌象征性意义的感知正向显著影响到访意向;社会声望和地位彰显这一维度对到访意向的正向影响不显著。最后,多群组结构方程模型分析说明目的地品牌象征性意义与到访意向间的路径关系在两类目的地之间无显著差异,这也反映出目的地品牌象征性意义对城市和自然景观类目的地都具有一定的营销意义。

Brands are increasingly seen as a symbolic resource for expressing individuals＇ self-concept and lifestyle; thus, symbolic consumption has become a topic of concern in marketing. The significance of brands＇ symbolic meaning for consumers＇ buying behavior has also been confirmed by many studies. Many destinations have gradually engaged in branding activities in recent years; therefore, exploring the marketing value of the symbolic meaning of destination brands undoubtedly has important theoretical and practical significance. Using a city （Tianjin） and a national park （Jiuzhai Valley National Park） as examples, this paper reveals the influence of the symbolic meaning of destination brands on tourists＇ visit intentions. Our survey analysis found that tourists＇ perception of the symbolic meaning of destination brands has four dimensions： individual self-expression （destination brand as a tool to show individuals＇ personality and image）; relational self-enhancement （destination brand as a tool to help individuals improve their self- image in their significant others＇ eyes [e.g., relatives, friends, colleagues, lovers, or spouses]）; sense of belonging to a social group （destination brand as a tool to help individuals associate with a certain social group）; and demonstration of social prestige and status （destination brand as a tool to help individuals demonstrate their social prestige and status）. The structural equation modeling results show that individuals＇ self-expression, relational self-enhancement, and sense of belonging to a social group have a positive and significant impact on their visit intentions. That is, when respondents are aware that the destination brand can meet their need for individual self-expression, relational self-enhancement, and sense of belonging to a social group, they will correspondingly express strong visit intentions. However, the impact of demonstration of social prestige and status on visit intentions is not significant. Finally, a multigroup structural equation model analysis shows that the path relations between the symbolic meaning of the destination brand and visit intention in the two scenarios of the city and the national park are not significantly different. This result indicates that the symbolic meaning of the destination brand has important marketing value for these two kinds of destinations. The results have theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical standpoint, we confirmed the perspective of many previous studies that people will see brand consumption as an aspect of their self-construction. From a practical standpoint, we suggest that destination-marketing organizations engage in branding activities to imbue the destination with certain symbolic meanings and promote its self-construction benefits to tourists. These activities will help to increase the possibility of consumers choosing to visit the destinations. For example, marketers can promote the destination using promotion messages that feature not only destination sceneries, but also its human characters, such as showing the general types of tourists who visit the destination or a celebrity who endorses the destination in an advertisement. A number of studies have confirmed that celebrity endorsements can transfer the celebrity＇ s personality onto the destination brand. Therefore, destination brand consumption allows tourists to create, transform, and express their self-identity. In addition, destination-promotion materials can also show scenes in which tourists are together with their relatives, friends, colleagues, lovers, or spouses, so that potential tourists will think that visiting the destination with their significant others would be a good opportunity to consolidate their relationships.