Purpose – This article aims to investigate the impact of hospitality on the overall image, as well as on the affective and cognitive dimensions of the destination image of São Luís (Maranhão, Brazil), from the perspectives of both tourists and residents.
Design/methodology/approach – Descriptive and quantitative research was conducted through a non-probabilistic survey of 326 respondents (231 residents and 95 tourists). Data were analyzed using variance-based structural equation modeling (VB-SEM, specifically partial least squares).
Findings – The results indicate that residents' and tourists' perceptions of destination hospitality were similar, exerting a positive influence on the overall, affective, and cognitive destination image. While the direct influence was modest, it was most pronounced within the affective and cognitive dimensions. Specifically, hospitality had a greater effect on the affective dimension of the perceived image for both groups, standing out a bit more among tourists and closely aligning with emotional attributes such as the perception of a lively, pleasant, exciting, and relaxing destination.
Practical implications – This study reinforces the importance of maintaining and enhancing the hospitality offered to tourists in destinations, and underscores how hospitality impacts their image. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of promoting destination hospitality in marketing campaigns and emphasizes the need to manage aspects related to the affective and cognitive image of destinations, considering that they ultimately reflect on the overall image.
Originality/value – This article contributes to the hospitality and marketing literature by addressing gaps in destination image research. It uniquely compares the concurrent perceptions of tourists and residents while incorporating hospitality as a core variable influencing destination image.
Research limitations – The findings are limited to the study sample and the specific geographic and cultural context of Northeast Brazil, which influences respondent behaviors. Additionally, modeling the hospitality variable as a first-order construct may limit the identification of the specific sub-dimensions that most heavily influence destination image.
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Turismo: Visão e Ação, linked to the Graduate Program in Tourism and Hospitality - Master's and Ph.D., is a scientific journal published in a continuous flow system, with an interdisciplinary and international scope. According to Qualis/CAPES criteria (2021-2024), it is classified as 'A4' in the fields of Administration, Accounting Sciences, and Tourism. Registered with ISSN number 1983-7151, Tourismo: Visão e Ação began its activities in 1998 with printed publications in English and Portuguese. In 2008, it transitioned to an online publication, expanding its reach to a broader audience. It maintains a policy of being an open-access journal without submission or access fees. The abbreviated title for the journal is Tur., Visão e Ação, commonly used in bibliographies, footnotes, references, and bibliographic captions.
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