Innovative Framework for the analysis of the effects of Destination Personality on Behavioral Results: Self- Congruity's mediating role

Abstract

There is growing interest among academics and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) in leveraging destination personality as a differentiation strategy within an increasingly competitive tourism market. Identifying the most relevant personality dimensions that influence tourists' perceived image and their intention to visit is essential for effective strategic image projection. Although various methodologies have been employed to analyze these personality dimensions, no consensus has yet been reached—particularly concerning the mediating role of brand–self congruity. To address this gap, the present study proposes an innovative methodological framework that clarifies the relationship between destination personality and behavioral outcomes, irrespective of the moderating role of self-congruence. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed for the analysis. By integrating Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and Importance–Performance Map Analysis (IPMA), the framework offers deeper analytical insights, which represent the primary contribution of this research. To demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed model, an empirical application is presented.