Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

Key Words:
Destination marketing, branding, brand personality, tourism brand perceptions. 
INTRODUCTION 
Each brand is supposed to have a “personality” that consumers use it to “self-express” or to experience the 
emotional benefits of the brand. In so doing, it helps to differentiate the brand from competitors in a particular 
product category (Aaker, 1996; Aaker, 1997); tourism destinations can also be considered as brands, hence they tend 
to have a personality associated with tourists’ self-expression. While research has shown that self-expression can be 
an important driver for brand preference and choice, little progress has been made to show how the personality of 
brands can be used for the purpose of self-expression (Belk, 1988; Richins, 1994). This paper therefore suggests that 
tourists (as consumers) have a part to play in influencing how a tourism destination brand personality is perceived, 
in contrast to the suggestion that brand personality is created by how tourism marketers intend to project it (Batra et. 
al, 1993; Levy, 1959). When tourists build trusting relationships with their preferred destination brand, they will 
reinforce positive attitudes (which include their personality) on to the brand (de Chernatony & Riley, 1997). Dittmar 
(1992) supports this notion by suggesting that individuals share in the “process of transmitting, reproducing and 
transforming the social meanings of objects”. The empirical findings of this research will highlight the conceptual 
underpinnings and managerial contributions to tourism destination marketing strategy and promotion.