The effect of smart destination technologies experience on behavioral intentions: The mediating role of perceived value and destination image

Technology is becoming more integrated into human life every day, and people's behaviors are shaped according to these technologies. Although smart destinations are seen as an extension of smart cities with their hardware features, they differ in terms of priorities, goals and objectives. Smart destination technologies provide a competitive advantage to destinations against increasingly widespread technology usage that directs human behavior. In this context, it is important to know to what extent smart destination technology experiences can affect tourists' future behaviors. It is also known that experiences gained in the destination affect image and value perceptions, and image and value affect intentions towards the destination. Therefore, smart destination technologies can have effects on destination image, perceived value and behavioral intentions. Destination image and perceived value can mediators in the effect of smart destination technology experiences on behavioral intentions. The aim of this study is to determine the mediating effects of destination image and perceived value in the effect of smart destination technologies on behavioral intentions. In previous studies in the literature, the effects of smart destination technologies on behavioral intentions and the mediating role of destination image have been determined. However, no study has been found that tests the mediating roles of destination image and perceived value on the same model in the effect of smart destination technology experiences on behavioral intentions and measures the effects of smart destination technology experiences on perceived value. This study is important by filling these gaps in the literature. The study findings determined that smart destination technologies have an effect on behavioral intentions, and destination image and perceived value have mediating effects. However, it has been revealed that smart destination technologies affect value perceptions the most and perceived value is more effective on tourists' intentions. According to these results, smart destination technology experiences are important in terms of improving tourists' value and image perceptions. The study results were interpreted within the framework of service-dominant logic, and suggestions were presented on how the destination image could be improved by using smart destination technologies.