"A place I like or a place like me?": exploring destination personality and tourist loyalty among young adventure tourists on social media

Purpose
This study aims to investigate how destination personality traits, as reflected in user-generated content (UGC) on social media, influence tourist loyalty among young tourists. It examines two forms of loyalty: revisit and recommendation intentions within the context of adventure tourism. The research addresses the gap in understanding the psychological processes linking specific destination personality attributes to tourists’ loyalty behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on self-congruity theory and brand personality theory, this study analyses 634 post-trip reviews from scuba diving tourists posted on one of Asia’s largest social media platforms. Key destination personality traits were identified in adventure tourism, and their effects on revisit and recommendation intentions were examined using quantitative content analysis.

Findings
The results indicate that destination traits such as sophistication, authenticity and peacefulness significantly influence adventure tourists’ recommendation intentions, whereas excitement and traditionalism influence their revisit intentions. The findings suggest that revisit intentions are primarily driven by the personal self, while recommendation intentions are influenced by the social self.

Originality/value
This study extends the literature on adventure tourism and youth travel by clarifying the distinct psychological processes underlying different types of tourist loyalty in a social media context. It highlights the importance of targeted marketing strategies for destination marketers and tourism operators seeking to encourage repeat visitation and recommendations among young tourists, particularly within emerging adventure tourism sectors.