Co-creation of perceived place value by tourism actors in different countries

Abstract

This research examines gaps in the co-creation of value literature to address the need for (i) quantitative research in different visitor settings, (ii) deeper knowledge of the impact of different destination actors on visitor perceptions, and (iii) increased use of mixed methods (including in-situ) to enhance the effectiveness of place branding across destination risk contexts. The study examines how co-creation of place value occurs, the role of tourism actors and the moderating effect of the country risk level. In-situ data were collected over a period of time of six years from active tourists in 12 different countries (n=3,643). A typology of country destinations is established to build a structural equation model using data from 12-countries. Findings indicate that all actors significantly contribute to the place value perceived by tourists (i.e., co-creation), where the country risk level is found to limit the impact of some tourism actors on tourists’ perceived place value while enhancing other actors’ impact and loyalty.