Risk Perceptions of a Mixed-Image Destination: The Case of Turkey's First-Time Versus Repeat Leisure Visitors

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to investigate tourists' perception of risk about Turkey as a mix image destination and second, to examine if perceived risk of Turkey as a tourism destination differs between first-time and repeat visitors. The findings of the study indicated six risk dimensions as perceived by tourists visited Turkey: (a) time and social risk, (b) financial risks, (c) physical risks, (d) pressing situation risk, (e) experience-related risk, and (f) weather and hotel risk. Descriptive findings suggest that perceived risk of Turkey as a tourism destination was low in spite of some possible risk patterns due to its mixed image. Significant differences were found between first-time and repeat visitors in terms of destination risk perceptions. The study offers practical and theoretical implications for tourism marketing and managing risk in mixed image tourism destinations.