Managing destination image for potential gulf countries tourists via communication effects assessment: The case of Malaysia

ABSTRACTThis study responds to the call for more empirical evidence and theoretical framework for tourism destination consumer based brand equity (CBBE), and for more effort to link marketing communication (MC) as information sources on destination awareness and image across different fields. Using Malaysia as the context, this study focused on potential tourists from two Gulf countries (GC) i.e. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 405 responses were collected via self administered questionnaire on purposively selected samples in Dubai and Jeddah. The findings indicate that uncontrolled MCs have significant effect on the awareness and image dimensions of CBBE, while controlled MC has significant effect only on destination image. Several implications of the findings were later discussed. The managerial implications are that destination marketers targeting potential GC tourists need to satisfy existing GC tourists to Malaysia to create positive WOM. They also need to focus on integrating both Controlled and Uncontrolled MCs strategies to reduce confusing image of the destination.Keywords: Communication; Marketing; Consumer Based Brand Equity; Gulf-Countries; Malaysia.1. INTRODUCTIONIn today's competitive market place, destination image is commonly accepted as an important aspect in successful tourism management and destination marketing (Molina, Gomez, and Martin-Consuegra, 2010). Realizing this, tourism marketing organization and researchers have tried to improve understanding on the dimensions that tourists use in formulating the destination image, the role of the marketing efforts in positioning of destination image to enhance its attractiveness, and increase its market competiveness (Beerli and Martin, 2004a; Martin, Ignacio, and Bosque, 2008; Gartner, 1993). Since image affects tourists' perceptions, it is important to understand what affects image formulation in the tourist's mind. From the theoretical standpoint, Bianchi and Pike, (2009); Boo, Busser, and Baloglu, (2009); Konecnik and Gartner, (2007); and Pike, (2007) highlighted that empirical evidence and theoretical framework for the tourism destination consumer based brand equity (CBBE) is lacking. In addition, authors such as Yoo, Donthu, and Lee (2000) stressed that studies linking MCs as information sources on the CBBE is needed across different fields. Thus this study aims to contribute to the body of literature by responding to the need for empirical research on the CBBE for tourism destination using a new socio-cultural context (i.e. two major gulf countries' prospective outbound tourists to Malaysia). It also seeks to either validate or disconfirm findings of previous studies in the area of MCs influence on CBBE dimensions. The focus of the study is on destination image management via assessment of long-term communication effects. Using Malaysia as the study context, it looks at MCs influence on awareness and image among tourists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 2. LITERATURE REVIEWMC activities refer to the overall communication of an organization to its consumers, both controlled and uncontrolled (O'cass and Grace 2004). Controlled MC refers to the marketing activities undertaken by destination marketers namely advertising and promotions. On the other hand, uncontrolled MCs are activities that destination marketers have no controlled over it namely Word-of-Mouth (WOM). Both controlled and uncontrolled MC activities are important in service brand success (Berry, 2000; O'Cass and Grace, 2004), as they establish awareness and positive image of a brand. For potential tourists who have never had a direct experience with the destination, MCs are the only source of information that they rely on in making their travel decisions. Past studies that tested the effects of the information perceived by the consumer from different marketing actions on the formation of destination image and awareness demonstrated that MC activities is antecedent of these dimensions as it represents the effect of accumulated marketing investments into the brand (Yoo et al. …