Road Trip in China: The Mediation Effect of Perceived Value and Tourist Satisfaction on the Relationship between Destination Image and Loyalty

This study aims to test a model linking destination image, perceived value, tourist satisfaction, and tourist loyalty. Based on a sample of 300 tourists travelling by car from the World Natural Heritage Site of Tianchi, China, a new model of destination image was explored and data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that perceived value and satisfaction are the direct antecedents of destination loyalty. Above all, perceived value and tourist satisfaction mediate the relationship between destination image and tourist loyalty. Finally, this study discusses the theoretical and management implications to boost the tourism industry in the car trip context.