Branded premiums in tourism destination promotion

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of branded premiums or branded free gifts (e.g. a free of charge suitcase of a well-recognised brand) on tourism destination promotion. Specifically, the impact of brand name and price value of a branded premium on promoting a tourism destination was examined. Design/methodology/approach - This research uses two experiment-based studies, applying a between-group experimental design. Findings - The results revealed that appreciation leads to intention to visit the promoted destination when the branded promotion is offered. When a destination promotional offer contains a branded premium, consumers respond more favourably to the brand name of the premium than the price value of the premium. This finding applies to consumers' responses to both the destination and the premium. Research limitations/implications - This research adds to the body of knowledge on tourism destination promotion and the branding literature, specifically with promotional and branded premiums. Practical implications - Mutual benefits can be obtained by both tourism destination marketers and premium marketers. Originality/value - This research highlights the importance of branded premiums in tourism destination promotional offers. This research also shows the influence of the price value of a premium's brand name in a tourism destination promotional offer.