Destination Brand Equity of UNESCO Heritage Sites: Evidence from Emerging Economies

Brand loyalty significantly enhances the overall brand equity of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, particularly in emerging economies. A study on Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens revealed that brand association and image are key drivers of tourist loyalty, which in turn strengthens destination brand performance. The research applied the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model using a cross-sectional survey of 366 domestic tourists, testing hypotheses through Partial Least Squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings suggest that fostering brand loyalty could be a strategic approach for policymakers to boost tourist attraction and economic value at heritage destinations.

Ahmad, F., Khan, Z. U., & Butt, J. M. (2023). Destination Brand Equity of UNESCO Heritage Sites: Evidence from Emerging Economies. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.7774914