THE IMPACT OF DESTINATION EMOTIONS ON DOMESTIC TOURISM DESTINATION CHOICE INTENTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Abstract

This study aims to explore the role of destination emotions in shaping the intention to choose domestic destinations among tourism and hospitality students in the context of experiential learning on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Survey data analysis from 480 students using SMARTPLS 4.0 shows that (i) among the foundational factors of TPB, subjective norms and the perception of behavioral control have a significant positive impact on the intention to
choose a destination, (ii) emotions affect the intention to choose a destination both directly and indirectly, and (iii) familiarity with the destination moderates the relationship between destination emotions and attitude, as well as the perception of behavioral control. The findings align with previous studies and suggest policy implications for tourism enterprises and destination managers.