From Newness to Belonging: The Synergy of Novelty Seeking, Destination Brand Equity, and Existential Authenticity in Tourism

Abstract

Tourist satisfaction and intention to revisit are pivotal determinants of a destination’s long-term competitiveness, as satisfied tourists not only return but also act as powerful advocates through positive word-of-mouth. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of novelty seeking, destination brand equity, and existential authenticity on tourist satisfaction and intention to revisit. Data were collected from 346 tourists who were selected on purpose. Tourists were asked to provide their opinions about the key constructs of this study. Hypotheses were tested with the help of structural equation modeling. Results show that novelty seeking, destination brand equity, and existential authenticity positively affected tourist satisfaction. Moreover, the study confirms that satisfied tourists were more likely to revisit and recommend the selected destinations to others through positive word of mouth. The study has crucial policy recommendations that are presented at the end of the article.