Publicação
Tourism and coastal & maritime cultural heritage: key stakeholders views and visitors’ perceptions and intentions
| Resumo: | The mutual benefits of the relationship between heritage and tourism are well recognized. However, despite the importance of visitor–heritage interactions for differentiating coastal destinations, studies regarding this relationship are scarce. Also, the degree to which experience affects image perceptions and behavioural intentions, particularly in situ image, exclusively considering actual behaviour, has rarely been analysed within the same study. Given the gaps identified in research, the main objective of this doctoral thesis is to propose and examine an on-site behaviour model, using a conceptual trilogy – coastal and maritime cultural heritage (CMCH), destination image and loyalty – based on mere exposure theory (MET). To achieve this central aim, a mixed-methods approach was adopted (qualitative and quantitative), and primary data was collected for this specific purpose. The study involved two main stages, carried out in three consecutive, complementary researches. The first was carried out in three European case-regions with different stages of tourism development, with the objective of examining the dynamic relation between tourism and CMCH. Based on semi-structured interviews applied to key stakeholders (n = 41), the thematic analysis results demonstrated that the way this relationship is experienced depends on the region’s stage of tourism development. It allowed guidelines to be identified for more efficient and sustainable management. Based on questionnaires applied to visitors (domestic and international) (n = 720), the second stage, which involved two researches, was empirically carried out in Aveiro, Portugal with the objective of assessing the influence of the degree of experience on image and future behavioural intention. The first aimed at identifying different groups of visitors based on their degree of experience. The results of the segmentation analysis shows that Aveiro’s tourism market is heterogeneous in terms of visitors’ degree of experience, as well as their image perceptions and loyalty. The last research examined an integrative model that tested a set of hypotheses regarding causal relationships between the intensity of on-site experience of CMCH, image and future loyalty (n = 486). The results of the structural equation model showed that the relationship between the intensity of on-site experience with CMCH attractions and loyalty was partially mediated by destination image, through cognitive image, and visitor origin was revealed as a moderator of this relationship, being stronger for international visitors. A set of theoretical and managerial implications and recommendations were produced for both fields of tourism and heritage. As a key conclusion, the study demonstrated the positive influence of the intensity and diversity of heritage experiences on image and loyalty constructs, giving credence to MET constituting key information for destination managers and industry in defining marketing strategies. |
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| Autores principais: | Silva, Ana Margarida Tavares dos Santos Ferreira |
| Assunto: | Coastal and maritime cultural heritage Destination image Behavioural intentions Aveiro |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | tese de doutoramento |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Aveiro |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RIA - Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro |
| Resumo: | The mutual benefits of the relationship between heritage and tourism are well recognized. However, despite the importance of visitor–heritage interactions for differentiating coastal destinations, studies regarding this relationship are scarce. Also, the degree to which experience affects image perceptions and behavioural intentions, particularly in situ image, exclusively considering actual behaviour, has rarely been analysed within the same study. Given the gaps identified in research, the main objective of this doctoral thesis is to propose and examine an on-site behaviour model, using a conceptual trilogy – coastal and maritime cultural heritage (CMCH), destination image and loyalty – based on mere exposure theory (MET). To achieve this central aim, a mixed-methods approach was adopted (qualitative and quantitative), and primary data was collected for this specific purpose. The study involved two main stages, carried out in three consecutive, complementary researches. The first was carried out in three European case-regions with different stages of tourism development, with the objective of examining the dynamic relation between tourism and CMCH. Based on semi-structured interviews applied to key stakeholders (n = 41), the thematic analysis results demonstrated that the way this relationship is experienced depends on the region’s stage of tourism development. It allowed guidelines to be identified for more efficient and sustainable management. Based on questionnaires applied to visitors (domestic and international) (n = 720), the second stage, which involved two researches, was empirically carried out in Aveiro, Portugal with the objective of assessing the influence of the degree of experience on image and future behavioural intention. The first aimed at identifying different groups of visitors based on their degree of experience. The results of the segmentation analysis shows that Aveiro’s tourism market is heterogeneous in terms of visitors’ degree of experience, as well as their image perceptions and loyalty. The last research examined an integrative model that tested a set of hypotheses regarding causal relationships between the intensity of on-site experience of CMCH, image and future loyalty (n = 486). The results of the structural equation model showed that the relationship between the intensity of on-site experience with CMCH attractions and loyalty was partially mediated by destination image, through cognitive image, and visitor origin was revealed as a moderator of this relationship, being stronger for international visitors. A set of theoretical and managerial implications and recommendations were produced for both fields of tourism and heritage. As a key conclusion, the study demonstrated the positive influence of the intensity and diversity of heritage experiences on image and loyalty constructs, giving credence to MET constituting key information for destination managers and industry in defining marketing strategies. |
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