Brand Knowledge, Trust and Loyalty – A Conceptual Model of Destination Branding

The present study conceptualizes a destination branding model that reflects the process of tourist decision making. The model integrates key sequential concepts such as brand knowledge, brand trust, and brand loyalty. Destination brand knowledge is further defined by its constituents of brand awareness, cognitive brand image, and affective brand image. The concept of brand trust is defined in the context of risk and expectations. Brand loyalty is operationalized as behavioral intention to visit/revisit or make a referral. The conceptual model results from the systheses of literature in the fields of general branding and marketing, psychology, sociology, and consmer behavior, as well as tourism. Both theorectical and empirical works were consulted in structuring the model and specification of its various concepts. Theoretical contributions of the model are discussed.