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October 27, 2025Open Access

The Mediating Role of Destination Brand Engagement in Customer-based Destination Brand Equity: Evidence from Ecotourism in Langkawi Island

Key Points

Engagement significantly predicts brand loyalty in ecotourism contexts.
Findings reveal important links between brand authenticity and engagement for loyalty.
Analysis using SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling to assess relationships.
This research underscores the need for implementing participatory engagement strategies in tourism branding.

Abstract

This study examines the mediating role of Destination Brand Engagement (DBE) in the relationship between electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), destination brand authenticity (DBA), destination brand self-congruence (DBSC), and Destination Brand Loyalty (DBL) within the ecotourism context of Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Grounded in the Customer-Based Destination Brand Equity (CBDBE) framework, the research addresses gaps in understanding how digital, psychological, and authenticity-driven antecedents contribute to sustainable loyalty in fragile tourism environments. Employing a quantitative design, data were collected from 516 valid respondents through purposive sampling and analyzed using SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings reveal that eWOM, DBA, and DBSC significantly influence DBE, which in turn emerges as the strongest predictor of DBL. Mediation analysis confirms DBE as a central psychological mechanism through which brand perceptions are translated into enduring loyalty, highlighting engagement’s multidimensional role in fostering cognitive, emotional, and behavioral attachment. While explanatory power was modest (R² = 0.132 for DBE; R² = 0.127 for DBL), the results underscore the importance of incorporating identity alignment, authenticity, and participatory engagement strategies into ecotourism branding. Theoretically, this study extends the CBDBE model by positioning DBE as a pivotal mediator in sustainability-sensitive contexts. Practically, it offers insights for destination managers and policymakers, suggesting that authentic storytelling, ecological integrity, and community-driven initiatives are critical to cultivating long-term loyalty. The study contributes to ecotourism research by clarifying the mechanisms underpinning loyalty formation, while also identifying avenues for future research on cultural, motivational, and digital factors influencing sustainable destination branding.

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