Destination Image, Self-Congruity, and Travel Behavior: Toward an Integrative Model

TLDR

Self‑congruity and functional congruity describe how a tourist’s self‑concept and utilitarian expectations align with a destination’s image and attributes, and the destination environment shapes the formation and evolution of that image. The study proposes an integrative model linking destination image, self‑congruity, functional congruity, and travel behavior, hypothesizing that congruity factors drive travel decisions. The model posits causal links among destination environment, visitor image, tourists’ self‑concept, self‑congruity, functional congruity, and resulting travel behavior.

Abstract

An integrative model of destination image, self-congruity, and travel behavior is described in this article. In particular, the model postulates relationships between destination environment, destination visitor image, tourists’ self-concept, self-congruity, functional congruity, and travel behavior. Travel behavior is hypothesized to be influenced significantly by both self-congruity and functional congruity. Self-congruity is the match between the destination visitor image and tourists’ self-concept (actual, ideal, social, and ideal social self-image). Functional congruity is the match between the utilitarian attributes of the destination and the tourist’s ideal expectations related to those attributes. Self-congruity is hypothesized to influence functional congruity. It is argued that the destination environment influences the formation and change of the destination visitor image and the tourist-perceived utilitarian destination attributes.