Destination Personality and Behavioral Intention in Hainan’s Golf Tourism during COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Role of Destination Image and Self-Congruity

Abstract

The aim of this study was (a) to investigate the relationship between destination personality (DP), destination image (DI), self-congruity (SC), and behavioral intention (BI) in the context of golf tourism and (b) to examine the mediating roles of DI and SC in the relationship between DP and BI. We collected valid data about 519 golf tourists who visited Hainan, China in 2021. The results show that DP positively affected DI, DP positively affected BI, DP positively affected SC, SC positively affected BI, and DI positively affected BI. In addition, DI positively mediated the relationship between DP and BI, and SC positively mediated the relationship between DP and BI. The findings enrich the tourism literature, contribute to the exploration of golf tourism theory, and provide recommendations for golf tourism researchers and marketers.