A Study on the Influence of Travel Motivation, Information Sources and Tourism Crisis on Tourists' Destination Image

Abstract

The objective this research paper is to develop a destination image theoretical model by using tourists’ travel motivation, information and crisis perception. The present study thus serves to developing a competitive position, destination marketers need to evaluate the tourists’ travel motivation, information and crisis perception, which is crucial to the cultivation of the travellers’ image of their destinations. Evidence shows that the model identifies the influence of travel motivation, tourist destination image, sources of information and crises in tourism. Those findings indicate that an attitude towards Thailand’s travel motivation, travel motivation, crises, information sources in the normal situation, and in an unusual occurrence, tended to influence on Thailand’s destination image. Tourism crises were also found to affect directly and significantly Thailand’s destination image. Thai government can take measures to boost the tourism sector during crises, while safety and security are slowly being restored, and once the situation is normalized.  The outcomes of the study have significant managerial implications for destination marketing managers.