The relationships among nostalgic emotion, destination images and tourist behaviors: An empirical study of Istanbul

Abstract

Although a consensus exists in the literature regarding the operationalization of the affective component of destination image, interestingly there is no agreement on the operationalization of the cognitive aspect of the destination image of Istanbul. Also, even though there are a few studies investigating the concept of 'nostalgic emotion' in tourism management and destinations, most have only examined the influence of nostalgic emotion on destination image before tourists' actual experience (pre-trip destination image) rather than post-visit experience of tourists as their destination image is modified by actual emotional experiences and their post-visit (e.g. museum visits) evaluations. This paper documents two studies. In the first, which investigated 150 tourists on the last day of their tours, the cognitive image of Istanbul was found to be a multi-dimensional construct composed of attractions, infrastructure, atmosphere, and value variables. The second study investigated 200 tourists who were visiting museums and found that nostalgic emotion positively relates to affective destination image, and all components of the cognitive destination image of Istanbul. It was further found that: (1) affective destination image positively relates to intention to revisit and recommend; (2) attractions, atmosphere, and value variables of a cognitive destination image is positively related to intention to recommend; and (3) attractions and the value aspects of a cognitive destination image positively relate to tourist intention to revisit. Destination images were found moreover to partially mediate the relationship between nostalgic emotion and intention to revisit and recommend.