Engaging tourists through destination social responsibility: the moderating role of self-congruence

Purpose Engaging tourists with a destination brand can offer innumerable benefits. Based on stakeholder and social exchange theories, this study aims to comprehend destination social responsibility’s (DSR) role in inducing destination brand engagement (DBE) and favorable behavioral intentions, i.e. destination advocacy and revisit intentions. Further, the study examines self-congruence as a boundary condition to DSR’s impact on DBE. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through an online survey of individuals in India and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Findings highlight the importance of stakeholder and social exchange theories for socially responsible destinations by establishing a link between DSR and DBE, which adds to scholarship and holds practical relevance. Results confirm the moderating effects of self-congruence. Research limitations/implications The study did not assume the variation of tourists based on their characteristics and types while examining the moderation effects. Originality/value Research adds value by establishing the importance of DSR in engaging tourists with a destination. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how engaged tourists can showcase favorable responses toward the destination.