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| DILUTION EFFECTS OF ONLINE NEGATIVE WORD-OF-MOUTH ON BRAND EQUITY FOR TOURISM DESTINATION: MODERATING EFFECTS OF FAMILIARITY AND SUSCEPTIBILITY |
| XU Xing-an1,2, WANG Li-lei3, YANG Yi4 |
1. Business School, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan 250014, China;
2. School of Psychology, Shangdong Normal University, ji'nan 250014, China;
3. School of Economic and Management, Shandong Youth University of Political Science, Ji'nan 250103, China;
4. School of Business;and Tourism Management, Yunan University, Kunming 650091, China |
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Abstract This paper selects Lijiang of Yunnan province as its tourism destination, verifies the dilution effects of online negative word-of-mouth (WOM) on tourism destination brand equity through quasi-experimental method. The results show that dilution effects of online negative WOM on destination brand equity always exist. For those consumers of high-familiarity to the destination, these effects still exist. And this research showed that higher familiarity would cause stronger brand equity dilution effects. Research conclusions provide many important management revelations. Firstly, tourism destination authorities should realize that online negative WOM has dilution effects on brand equity for a tourism destination and actively maintain brand equity. Secondly, authorities should strengthen the brand construction and management, and shape good tourism destination image to reduce perceived consistency of online negative word-of-mouth for resisting dilution effects. Thirdly, those tourism destinations owning high brand equity should not totally depended on interests from high familiarity and high brand equity, and realize dilution effects. Fourthly, those consumers with low susceptibility are vulnerable to online negative WOM.
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Received: 03 June 2014
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2015, Vol. 30 
