What drives tourist revisit intention? Destination image, escapism motivation and tourist demographics

Abstract

This study quantitatively examined how escapism motivation mediates and how tourist demographics moderate the nexus between destination image and tourist revisit intention. Data were randomly collected from 430 tourists visiting recreational and national parks in Zimbabwe. This study employed a quantitative methodology. The findings from the study revealed that dimensions of destination image that include affective, conative, and cognitive image positively drive repeat tourist visitation. The findings also revealed that age moderates the interaction between conative images and intention to revisit. The outcome of the study further disclosed that escapism motivation partially mediates the interaction between the dimensions of destination image and intention to visit again. The findings of this study contribute significantly to marketing and tourism literature. It is strongly recommended that destination management companies consider the dimensions of destination image, escapism motivation, and the age of tourists when developing strategies to return tourists.