Measurement of consumer based brand equity in touristic destinations: A research in Fethiye

While consumers make a decision to purchase in any product and service group based on their wishes and needs, they encounter more brands in the evaluation of alternatives compared to the past. In addition to the diversification of branded products and services in different categories, cities, regions, countries and even celebrities are now becoming brands as a competition. In consumer brand preferences, the factors such as satisfaction, the connotations created by the brand in the consumer mind, the brand loyalty in general, the perceived quality of the brand and the brand loyalty associated with the emotional benefit to the brand are gradually increasing. Changes in consumer behavior lead marketing and brand managers to create brands with high perceived value focused on consumer demands and needs. Investments that create high brand value and create consumer-based brand equity are becoming increasingly important in today's marketing approach. The same conditions are also important in the marketing and management of tourism destinations, which host many local and foreign tourists each year. The preference of tourism destinations by domestic and foreign tourists allows micro enterprises to gain profit and provide sustainable competitive advantage, while providing a positive contribution to the country's economy in terms of macro. In this study, it was aimed to determine the factors that make up the consumer-based brand equity of Fethiye district of Muğla and to determine the role of brand satisfaction in the effect of brand equivalence on brand preference. For this purpose, data collected from domestic and foreign tourists were tested with appropriate statistical analyzes and it was determined that the regulatory effect of brand satisfaction in the effect of Fethiye's brand equivalence on brand preference differed between domestic and foreign tourists. KEY WORDS: Brand Equity, Brand Satisfaction, Brand Preference, Brand Value, Destination Marketing.