The aim of this paper is to analyse the causal relationships among three key variables in tourism marketing: image, satisfaction and loyalty. It analyses the specific case of a tourism destination, approaching it not only from a cognitive perspective but also from an emotional one. It thus attempts to incorporate the experiential view into a construct such as the image of the tourism destination. Some hypotheses are put forward and tested in an empirical study of 140 American tourists visiting Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (Mexico). Four dimensions of the tourism destination image are identified: natural resources, service quality, entertainment and affective image. The study demonstrates that the affective image is the main antecedent of loyalty.

Sustainability has become one of the key factors for the development of tourism both nowadays and in the future. The need to integrate environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors is a consequence of the evolution of society itself, the introduction of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and a new way of understanding tourism and the world in general. Tourists increasingly seek a unique quality in their travels and are better informed before deciding on a tourist destination to spend their holidays or leisure time. They want to have unique, memorable experiences, and because of that, they are willing to look for those destinations that can offer them something different. The generation of expectations is no longer the sole responsibility of companies and public and private organizations in destinations, since information may be in the hands of the individuals themselves who can share it in social networks, blogs, or on platforms such as Booking or TripAdvisor, among others. This forces companies and public and private organizations to rethink the way in which and when they relate to tourists in general. With all these considerations, one of the objectives of this study was to analyse the way in which sustainability interrelates with the generation of expectations, experiences and perceptions and the effect on the possibilities of returning to a tourist destination and even recommending it in social networks to friends and acquaintances. For this reason, the destination of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, was chosen, a mature destination of sun and beach that, in recent years, has been immersed in a process of change where one of the axes is sustainability. This study used a convenience survey with 310 valid questionnaires with tourists who stayed more than three days in Acapulco during the months of December 2016 to February 2017. The questionnaires were completed at different points of the destination and by participants over 18 years of age. We used SEM (Structural Equations Modeling) and EQS (Structural Equation Modeling Software) for statistical analysis. The results of the study showed how expectations influenced experiences and the intention to return to the destination and recommend it (WOM), thus, we proposed a series of recommendations for public and private agents that manage this tourist destination.

Se analiza el valor percibido como un constructo multidimensional, que involucra otras dimensiones que generan beneficios positivos de valor en el consumidor turístico y no sólo la utilidad económica. El objetivo es relacionar el perfil del turista nacional durante su experiencia en el destino turístico, con el valor percibido de sus atributos. El método cuantitativo utiliza la encuesta a turistas, con análisis factorial y ANOVA se contrasta la hipótesis. Los resultados permiten considerar aspectos relacionados con la gestión y la promoción del destino turístico, a partir de la segmentación de la demanda. Uno de los hallazgos indica que el factor Del personal representa la dimensión más relevante para los turistas. Limitaciones del estudio como ser de corte transversal y la no aleatoriedad de la muestra impiden la generalización de los resultados.

Purpose This paper aims to establish the causal relationship between destination image and tourist motivation and engagement. Design/methodology/approach A causal model with seven hypotheses was tested into a sample of 438 domestic tourists in Acapulco (Mexico). Findings Cognitive destination image is the main antecedent of tourist engagement, exerting an important direct and indirect effect through push and pull motivations. Affective image also exerts a direct effect on tourist engagement and an indirect effect through push and pull motivations. Only pull motivations exert an influence on tourist engagement. Research limitations/implications The study is based on domestic tourists at a sun and beach destination. Practical implications Destination management organisations should invest in the care, improvement and promotion of tourism resources. Online and offline communication campaigns should be based on tourism resources and experiences. Originality/value This paper fulfils three research gaps: destination image is associated with tourist engagement; tourist motivations affect tourist engagement; and destination image is associated with tourist motivations.

Se analizó la imagen proyectada y percibida como un constructo multidimensional que involucra evaluaciones cognitivas y afectivas que permitan la formulación de estrategias de marketing para la innovación de los procesos organizacionales. El ensayo buscó generar conocimiento que permita el manejo de la imagen como detonante para la innovación y competitividad empresarial en el sector turístico permitiendo el diseño de una estrategia de marketing para la innovación de los procesos organizacionales. Se revisó temáticas referentes a: administración, proceso administrativo, marketing y particularmente sobre la estructura de la variable imagen. La imagen proyectada deberá ser lo más clara, entendible y cercana a la realidad. Lo ideal es que la imagen percibida corresponda con lo que la empresa o el destino turístico ha querido proyectar, puesto que se vuelve importante para la toma de decisiones, e identificación de áreas de oportunidades para mejorar indicadores.