Exploration of the concept of brand love in city branding: antecedents and consequences

Recent years have seen a growing interest in city marketing as tourist destinations, as cities become increasingly competitive to attract tourists. Drawing on the literature on brand-consumer relations in an attempt to apply the concept of brand love to an urban tourism destination, the present research explores the antecedents and consequences of city brand love. An analysis of 330 international tourists who visited six Iranian cities was conducted using quantitative research and cluster sampling. The research model is tested using partial least square (PLS) structural equation modeling. According to the results, city brand attractiveness, identification, and memorable brand experience are the antecedents of city brand love. Moreover, the city brand attractiveness, both directly and indirectly through memorable experiences and identification with the city brand, is one of the antecedents of city brand love. Finally, the results suggest that word of mouth and revisit intention are significant behavioral outcomes of city brand love. Understanding what items can create strong bonds between city destinations and tourists is of great importance. By providing a validated conceptual model that traces the antecedents and consequences of city brand love, this study attempts to answer prior calls for examination from the viewpoint of city tourism scholars.