Destination coolness affects tourists’ behavioral intention from the perspective of self-consistency

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of destination coolness on tourists' perceived value and behavioral intentions, and to investigate the moderating role of self-consistency in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative methodology was employed. Data were collected from 535 valid tourist questionnaires and analyzed with structural-equation modelling and moderated mediation tests. Findings The analysis reveals four key findings: (1) The four dimensions of destination coolness significantly and positively influence tourists' perceived value and behavioral intentions. (2) Tourists' perceived value acts as a mediator between destination coolness and their behavioral intentions. (3) Self-consistency moderates the effects of specific coolness dimensions, namely rebellion, originality, and vitality, on perceived value. (4) A direct positive relationship is confirmed between tourists' perceived value and their behavioral intentions. Originality/value This study advances destination coolness research by decomposing coolness into constituent dimensions and establishing a value-based mechanism linking destination coolness to behavioral intentions through perceived value. Furthermore, it introduces self-consistency as a boundary condition, revealing its differential moderating effects across coolness dimensions, thereby providing a more refined understanding of the conditions under which coolness translates into value and behavioral outcomes.