Unlocking the power of destination attachment and destination image on tourist revisit intention and the moderating role of tourist gender: lessons from Zimbabwe tourism destinations

This paper quantitatively examined the mediating influence of image of the destination and the moderating effect of tourist gender on the nexus between destination attachment and tourist revisit intention using the Place Attachment Theory and the S-O-R model. Quantitative methodologies were applied in this study. The study findings revealed that dimensions of destination attachment significantly drive tourist revisit intention. The findings further disclosed that destination attachment enhances destination image. The results from the study also highlighted that destination image drives tourist revisit intention. Additionally, the study findings clearly revealed that a unique and irreplaceable destination image partially mediates the interplay between destination attachment and tourist revisit intention. Lastly, the findings revealed that the nexus between destination attachment and tourist revisit intention is stronger in female tourists than in their male counterparts. The overall findings of this research contribute meaningfully to existing marketing and tourism literature. It is strongly suggested that tourism service providers should consider destination image, dimensions of destination attachment and gender of tourists when crafting strategies that drive tourists to revisit. The study provides substantial theoretical contribution through integration of the Theory of Place Attachment and the S-O-R model, showing the explanatory power of the models in tourism.