Heritage tourism in Zimbabwe: how destination brand equity and place attachment keep tourists revisiting

Abstract

This study examines the mediating role of place attachment on the interplay between heritage destination brand equity and tourist revisit intention using the Destination Brand Equity model, a research area heavily ignored by tourism researchers. Structured questionnaires were used to randomly collect primary data from 350 tourists who visited Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority managed United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization heritage tourism sites. Quantitative methodologies were employed in the study. The findings revealed that heritage destination brand equity dimensions significantly motivate tourists to revisit heritage sites. The findings further established that place attachment partially mediates the interplay between heritage destination brand equity and intention to revisit heritage sites. The overall findings of this study contribute significantly to present marketing and tourism literature. It is strongly recommended that tourism service providers in Sub-Saharan Africa developing economies should consider place attachment and dimensions of heritage destination brand equity when crafting strategies that motivate tourists to revisit heritage tourism sites. The study provides significant theoretical contribution through advancing the scope of the Brand Equity model beyond traditional marketing to heritage tourism clearly showing the explanatory power of the model in heritage tourism.