AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE FACTORS AFFECTING WOM COMMUNICATION FOR BRANDING A TOURIST DESTINATION

Abstract

This research was conducted to investigate the multi factor process to create positive Word-of-Mouth communication in connection for improved destination branding. Destination brand personality and tourism services have a significant role in the domain of destination marketing. Although the concept of brand personality has been brought from the domain of tangible product marketing but it has an equally important role in tourism marketing as well. In the present study the author has proposed a structural framework that depicts the interrelationship among brand personality and tourism services the resultant overall satisfaction from destination brand experience; which in turn leads generate WOM communication- the most effective tool for tourism. The research was conducted with 406 Indian tourists sample collected from different parts of India. A structural equation modeling has been done to validate the proposed model. The outcome of this research paper should enable destination marketers and tourism brand managers to get a new direction in their thought, the outcome would also be helping further researchers to think in this direction.