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This paper develops an integrative model that includes the dimensions of destination brand equity (i.e. awareness, image, quality and loyalty), as well as a key behavioral variable that is tourist satisfaction. In particular, our paper aims to contribute to the literature: 1) by examining the relationships between the dimensions of destination brand equity, which is not a deeply investigated issue so far; and 2) by adding tourist satisfaction, a key concept in loyalty formation, to the variables usually considered in destination brand equity models. The model was tested in two samples, national and international tourists visiting a destination in Spain, in order to also explore the role of the geographical and cultural distance between tourist and destination. Our results from a multi-group analysis indicate: 1) a robust link between ´quality-satisfaction-loyalty´ in both samples of tourists; 2) a chain of effects among awareness, image (separately considering the cognitive and affective dimensions) and perceived quality, although with the presence of some significant difference between both samples of tourists; and 3) a positive influence of cognitive image on affective image in both cases.

In our study of the `perceptions-attitudes-behaviours´ sequence, we explain how resident perceptions of tourism's impacts in host communities influence not only their attitudes towards tourism, but also their attitudes towards tourists -i.e. a new variable that has recently introduced in literature-. Moreover, we introduce the behavioural support, a concept that denotes a higher level of involvement and engagement of residents with their communities in comparison with the traditional attitudinal support.Our results indicate: 1) the residents' perception of the positive economic and cultural impacts of tourism are the main variables influencing their attitudes towards tourism and tourists; and 2) both types of attitudes influence on behavioural support for tourism in host communities.