Assessing the regional impact based on destination image

Abstract

The region of Northern Hungary is historically rich in tangible and intangible heritage destinations such as fortresses, castles, and cultural routes. Former castles of the aristocracy, converted to four- and five-star hotels, are among the favourite tourist destinations in the region. Destination stakeholders of these attractions have a prime interest in designing and delivering a complex and memorable tourism experience that will attract more visitors and return visits. The responsibility of regional and local destination management lies in finding an appropriate mix of attractions and corresponding experiences, attracting visitors/guests and creating repeat patterns of return. The research, involving a sample of 360 castle hotel guests, and using Partial Least Squares structural equation path modelling, reveals significant correlation between historical interest, motivation, and perceived image, predicting guests' perception of the entire region. Visitation patterns, together with geographical embeddedness, can be further explored to increase destination competitiveness.