The effect of activity choice in cultural tourism, destination image and personality on behavioural intention: A research on foreign tourists visiting to İstanbul

This research purposed to reveal relationship between activity choice in cultural tourism, destination image, destination personality and behavioural intention was conducted in Istanbul, one of the cultural destinations of Turkey. Activity choice in cultural tourism, destination image and destination personality are independent variables while dependent variable is behavioral intention. In order to determine importance of activity choice in cultural tourism in destination choice, Activity Choice in Cultural Tourism (ACCT) scale was developed. Twenty experts were consulted twice for content validity of scale and ACCT scale, consisting of 21 items in final form, was made ready for use in the research. In collection of research data, quota sampling method was adopted. Quota groups were determined as German, Russian, British, French, Ukrainian and Dutch tourists are European group; Iranian, Saudi Arabian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti and Algerian tourists are Middle Eastern group and American and Chinese group.The questionnaire, which was used as a data collection tool, was prepared in five different languages: English, German, Russian, Arabic and Chinese in order to be correctly understood by all tourist groups. Data was collected from 931 tourists in first fourteen nationalities (German, Iranian, Saudi Arabian, Russian, Iraqi, British, French, American, Chinese, Ukrainian, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Dutch and Algerian), who mostly visited Istanbul in 2018, between July and October in 2019. In statistical process; frequency and percentage distribution, normality tests, central tendency measurements (arithmetic mean, mode, median), reliability (internal consistency, item analysis) and validity (content validity, structure validity) tests, chi square test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis was used. Findings was concluded that tourism activities are significantly influential in destination choice. Istanbul has a positive destination image and image perceptions differ according to tourists' groups. Istanbul has vibrancy, sophistication and conviviality destination personality and tourists intend to recommend Istanbul to others. Also it was revealed that tourists with the highest behavioral intention towards Istanbul are Middle Eastern tourists and European, American and Chinese tourists have similar intentions. Regression analysis was revealed that dimension of religious, artistic and sports activities have negative effect on cultural and natural attractions dimension of destination image. However it was seen that other dimensions (city tours and landscape, visiting centers, authentic experience) have positive effect on destination image. When relationship between activity choice in cultural tourism and destination personality is examined; religious, artistic and sports activities have a negative effect on vibrancy and sophistication personality and a positive effect on conviviality personality. In addition, city tours and landscape dimension of activity choice in cultural tourism have a positive effect on both vibrancy and sophistication and conviviality personality. Moreover, all dimensions (city tours and landscape, religious, artistic and sports activities, authentic experience) except visiting centers from tourism activities have positive effect on behavioral intention. Research results showed that there is significant positive relationship between destination image and destination personality, and destination image has a significant effect on destination personality. In relationship between behavioral intention and destination image, dimension of cultural and natural attractions of destination image has negative effect on behavioral intention and other image dimensions have positive effect. All dimensions (vibrancy and sophistication, conviviality) of destination personality have positive effect on behavioral intention. The study was concluded that destination image and destination personality play partially mediator role in relationship between activity choice in cultural tourism and behavioral intention; moerover destinastion image and destinastion personality as mediator variables contribute to the explanation of behavioral intention. The study revealed that activity choice in cultural tourism has an effect on behavioural intention, both directly and indirectly through destination image and destination personality. On the other hand, activity choice in cultural tourism has effect on destination image, destination personality and behavioral intention. It is a noticeable that tourism acitivities can be an antecedent of destination image, destination personality and behavioural intention.