International Tourists' Perceptions Towards Destination Brand Image: A Case Study of Socotra Island, Yemen

Abstract

The influence of brand image on consumer behavior is widely recognized. It affects how tourists make pre-purchase decisions, making destinations with more substantial images more likely to be chosen. Additionally, the destination needs a strong brand image to maintain its position in the competitive business world. Product differentiation is crucial because Socotra Island, the research area, has a unique landscape, botanical, marine, and bird biodiversity, and cultural and heritage features and offers tremendously attractive destinations. Purposive random sampling was used to gather data from 410 international tourists at the sample locations for this study, which intends to examine how tourists perceive their expectations and experiences after visiting Socotra Island. Descriptive statistics and pair t-tests were used to analyze the data collected. The findings show that solid waste management, tourism infrastructure, and capacity building for tourism providers all need to be improved. The study has also suggested that tourism products, e.g., cultural heritage, Nature-based tourism, and Adventure sports, must be positioned and promoted aggressively.