The effect of overtourism perception and destination brand equity on destination satisfaction and revisit intention: The case of Bodrum

Overtourism is a concept that addresses the social, cultural, economic and environmental problems caused by overcrowding in certain destinations in certain periods within the framework of all components that make up the destination. With the impact of today's communication tools and other factors that facilitate travel, destinations are much more susceptible to encountering crowds for which they are unprepared, compared to the past. This era, characterized by the rapid pace of everything, necessitates significant challenges for destinations, tourism operators, legislators, and administrators alike. One of the foremost challenges in economies where tourism revenue is crucial is effectively managing the influx of tourists and preventing radical declines in tourist numbers and tourism revenues that accompany excessive tourism. Therefore, within the scope of the research, a scale was developed to measure the perception of overtourism among tourists visiting the Bodrum destination. Subsequently, the impacts of overtourism perception and destination brand value on destination satisfaction and intention to revisit were examined. After establishing the theoretical framework to achieve these objectives, the scale development process was implemented. Data collection for the research was conducted through a survey method. In the data collection process, valid surveys obtained from participants at the domestic and international departure terminals of airports, transfer vehicles, hotel establishments, and online respondents were used for the analysis of the research. A total of 803 valid surveys were included. The analysis revealed a significant, moderate negative relationship between overtourism perception and destination brand value, destination satisfaction, and intention to revisit. It was determined that there are positive and high-level relationships between destination brand value and destination satisfaction, as well as intention to revisit. Additionally, it was found that overtourism perception has significant and negative effects on destination satisfaction and intention to revisit, while destination brand value has significant and positive effects on destination satisfaction and intention to revisit. In the relevant literature, only one study was found that specifically focused on overtourism perception from the perspective of tourists, and no scale specifically measuring overtourism perception was identified. In this regard, the study is believed to make a significant contribution to the national and international literature.