Examining the role of cognitive and affective image in predicting choice across natural, developed, and theme-park destinations

This study examines the role of cognitive and affective destination-image components in the formation of destination preferences from a multialternative/multiattribute perspective. In addition, the study examines the stability of those roles across three types of destinations. A total of 1,020 Taichung residents in Taiwan were administered an on-site questionnaire. The results indicated that cognitive and affective components of overall destination image influence tourists' destination preferences and that cognitive image impacts affective image. However, the importance of the two image components varied across natural, developed, and theme-park destinations. In addition, the findings confirmed that while some image attributes are universally important, other attributes are only important for specific types of destinations. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are provided.