The effect of destination image and destination personality on tourists' travel motivation and revisit intentions: The case of Erdek

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of destination image and destination personality on tourists' travel motivation and revisit intention. To achieve this objective, data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 752 tourists who stayed at least one night in accommodation facilities in Erdek, a district of Balıkesir province, during the period of June to October 2024. The collected data were coded into a widely used software package in the field of social sciences, and various analyses were conducted to reveal the relationships between the variables. This dissertation consists of four main chapters. The first chapter addresses the research topic, problem statement, objectives, significance, assumptions, and limitations. The second chapter, which forms the theoretical framework of the study, initially presents explanations related to the concept of destination and provides data regarding Erdek, the selected sample destination. Subsequently, detailed information is provided on the independent variables—destination image and destination personality—as well as on the dependent variables—travel motivation and revisit intention. The third chapter elaborates on the research hypotheses and model, population and sample, data collection tools and techniques, measurement scales used in the study, the pilot study, and the data collection process. The fourth and final chapter presents the research findings. The results indicate that destination image and destination personality have a significant and positive impact on tourists' travel motivation and revisit intention. Moreover, it was revealed that tourists' perceptions of destination image and personality, along with their travel motivation and revisit intentions, vary based on their socio-demographic characteristics. Key Words: Destination image, Destination personality, Travel motivation, Revisit intention, Erdek.