Tourist Profile and Destination Brand Perception: The Case of Cape Town, South Africa

• Main Authors: Ikechukwu O. Ezeuduji, Kirsti Lee November, Chelsea Haupt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Danubius University 2016-08-01
• Series: Acta Universitatis Danubius: Oeconomica
• Subjects: Tourist demographics; tourist experience; destination perception; sub-Saharan Africa
• Online Access: http://journals.univ-danubius.ro/index.php/oeconomica/article/view/3310/3449
• ISSN: 2065-0175; 2067-340X

Tourists pay for destination brands. This study checked for the relationships between tourists’ profile and how they perceived the destination brand of Cape Town. A questionnaire survey of 220 tourists visiting Cape Town was done. This study found that repeat visit, age of tourist, length of stay, and tourist origin, have significant influences on how tourists visiting Cape Town perceived the destination. The top three destination attributes of Cape Town (cognitive images), which enhance visitor experience satisfaction are (1) the overall level of service quality at facilities in Cape Town, (2) the city being one of the best places the tourists have visited, and (3) the destination’s good value for money. The top three emotional valuations of destination attributes (affective images) which enhance visitor experience satisfaction in Cape Town include (1) memorable visit, (2) valuable visit, and (3) friendly and hospitable population. It is therefore recommended that tourism businesses in Cape Town develop relationship marketing tools to attract and retain its tourists segments of loyal, advanced in age, long-staying and domestic tourists. Results from this research could be compared with related findings in the international arena and have related implications, especially for developing economies