IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/infott/v24y2022i4d10.1007_s40558-022-00240-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing pre-travel online destination experience values of destination websites: scale development and validation

Author

Listed:
  • Anne Köchling

    (German Institute for Tourism Research at West Coast University of Applied Sciences
    Leuphana University Lüneburg)

  • Martin Lohmann

    (Leuphana University Lüneburg
    Institute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe (NIT))

Abstract

Destination websites, provided by destination marketing/management organisations (DMOs), are central environmental drivers of tourist experiences in the pre-travel phase. DMOs increasingly apply experiential marketing on their websites to support positive online destination experiences (ODEs) and attract tourists. Despite the ongoing scientific debate on technology-driven tourist experiences, research into pre-travel ODEs is still nascent and theoretical knowledge on the nature of ODEs is limited. Particularly, an appropriate measurement tool to evaluate the pre-travel experience value of destination websites is missing. In this paper, we propose a reliable, valid, and parsimonious measure for assessing pre-travel ODEs on destination websites, building on two prior studies. In a quasi field experiment, German millennials (n = 1820) evaluated the ODEs of different real destination websites using an online questionnaire. The ODE scale was developed using principal component analysis based on half of the cases; the other half was used to validate the scale via confirmatory composite analysis. In result, the overall ODE is reflected by two interrelated dimensions: hedonic and utilitarian experiences. Websites with a high level of experiential design yield significantly higher ODE values, supporting the construct validity. Results contribute to the theoretical understanding of the technology-driven tourist experience in the anticipatory phase. Moreover, the developed scale yields a methodological knowledge gain and will help destination managers to evaluate, purposefully review and improve their website designs and contents.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne Köchling & Martin Lohmann, 2022. "Assessing pre-travel online destination experience values of destination websites: scale development and validation," Information Technology & Tourism, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 457-484, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infott:v:24:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s40558-022-00240-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s40558-022-00240-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40558-022-00240-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s40558-022-00240-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karl, Marion & Kock, Florian & Ritchie, Brent W. & Gauss, Jana, 2021. "Affective forecasting and travel decision-making: An investigation in times of a pandemic," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Schmitt, Bernd, 2011. "Experience Marketing: Concepts, Frameworks and Consumer Insights," Foundations and Trends(R) in Marketing, now publishers, vol. 5(2), pages 55-112, May.
    3. J.J. Brakus & B.H. Schmitt & L. Zarantonello, 2009. "Brand Experience: What Is It? How Do We Measure It? And Does It Affect Loyalty?," Post-Print hal-00799102, HAL.
    4. Hair, Joe F. & Howard, Matt C. & Nitzl, Christian, 2020. "Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 101-110.
    5. John Horn, 1965. "A rationale and test for the number of factors in factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 30(2), pages 179-185, June.
    6. Sarstedt, Marko & Hair, Joseph F. & Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Becker, Jan-Michael & Ringle, Christian M., 2019. "How to specify, estimate, and validate higher-order constructs in PLS-SEM," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 197-211.
    7. Lee, Woojin & Gretzel, Ulrike, 2012. "Designing persuasive destination websites: A mental imagery processing perspective," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 1270-1280.
    8. Holbrook, Morris B & Hirschman, Elizabeth C, 1982. "The Experiential Aspects of Consumption: Consumer Fantasies, Feelings, and Fun," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 9(2), pages 132-140, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Slaton, Kelcie & Testa, Danielle & Bakhshian, Sonia & Fiore, Ann Marie, 2020. "The small, inventory free retail format: The impact on consumer-based brand equity and purchase behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    2. Clarinda Rodrigues & Amélia Brandão & Soniya Billore & Tetsuhisa Oda, 2024. "The mediating role of perceived brand authenticity between brand experience and brand love: a cross-cultural perspective," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(3), pages 293-309, May.
    3. Kashif Farhat & Sany Sanuri Mohd Mokhtar & Salniza Md. Salleh, 2020. "Connecting the Dots of Customer-Based Brand Equity to Brand Engagement: Using the Disjoint Two Stage Approach of PLS-SEM," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 32(2), pages 147-168.
    4. Muhammad Sohaib & Jacob Mlynarski & Rui Wu, 2022. "Building Brand Equity: The Impact of Brand Experience, Brand Love, and Brand Engagement—A Case Study of Customers’ Perception of the Apple Brand in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, December.
    5. Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy & Hoang Doan Phuong Thao, 2017. "Impact of students’ experiences on brand image perception: the case of Vietnamese higher education," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 14(2), pages 217-251, June.
    6. Zha, Dongmei & Marvi, Reza & Foroudi, Pantea, 2023. "Synthesizing the customer experience concept: A multimodularity approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    7. Matos, Nelson & Mendes, Julio & Pinto, Patrícia, 2015. "The Role of Imagery and Experiences in the Construction of a Tourism Destination Image," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 3(2), pages 135-154.
    8. Siwarit Pongsakornrungsilp & Pimlapas Pongsakornrungsilp & Theeranuch Pusaksrikit & Pimmada Wichasin & Vikas Kumar, 2021. "Co-Creating a Sustainable Regional Brand from Multiple Sub-Brands: The Andaman Tourism Cluster of Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Zhikun Ding & Xinyue Huang & Xinrui Wang & Qiaohui Chen & Jiasheng Zhang & Zezhou Wu, 2024. "Investigating the Determinants of Construction Stakeholders’ Intention to Use Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Products Based on the S-O-R Model in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Se Ran Yoo & Suk Won Lee & Hyeon Mo Jeon, 2020. "The Role of Customer Experience, Food Healthiness, and Value for Revisit Intention in GROCERANT," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Tarcia Camily Cavalcante Quezado & Nuno Fortes & William Quezado Figueiredo Cavalcante, 2022. "The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics on Brand Fidelity: The Importance of Brand Love and Brand Attitude," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    12. Agapito, Dora, 2020. "The senses in tourism design: A bibliometric review," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    13. Lee, Seunghwan & Kim, Yukyoum & Heere, Bob, 2018. "Sport team emotion: Conceptualization, scale development and validation," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 363-376.
    14. Ferreira Pedro & Rodrigues Paula & Rodrigues Pedro, 2019. "Brand Love as Mediator of the Brand Experience-Satisfaction-Loyalty Relationship in a Retail Fashion Brand," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 14(3), pages 278-291, September.
    15. JooSeok Oh & Timothy Paul Connerton & Hyun-Jung Kim, 2019. "The Rediscovery of Brand Experience Dimensions with Big Data Analysis: Building for a Sustainable Brand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, September.
    16. Shobeiri, Saeed & Laroche, Michel & Mazaheri, Ebrahim, 2013. "Shaping e-retailer’s website personality: The importance of experiential marketing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 102-110.
    17. Herhausen, Dennis & Kleinlercher, Kristina & Verhoef, Peter C. & Emrich, Oliver & Rudolph, Thomas, 2019. "Loyalty Formation for Different Customer Journey Segments," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 9-29.
    18. Christian Homburg & Moritz Tischer, 2023. "Customer journey management capability in business-to-business markets: Its bright and dark sides and overall impact on firm performance," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1046-1074, September.
    19. Janina SÜRKEN & Sören SUNDERMANN, 2021. ""Online Touchpoints Matter!" - An Empirical Analysis of Consumer-Brand Relationships in Retail Settings," Journal of Emerging Trends in Marketing and Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 77-87, August.
    20. Mahmoud Yasin & Lucia Porcu & Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas, 2019. "The Effect of Brand Experience on Customers’ Engagement Behavior within the Context of Online Brand Communities: The Impact on Intention to Forward Online Company-Generated Content," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-17, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:infott:v:24:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s40558-022-00240-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.