How Cognitive, Affective and Conative Image Dimensions Shape Tourist Loyalty in a Mixed-Image Destination

Kabul Trifiyanto; Kholifah Kholifah; Tuti Zakiyah

doi:10.55980/ebasr.v5i2.460

Authors

Kabul Trifiyanto Department of Business Administration, Universitas Putra Bangsa, Central Java, Indonesia
Kholifah Kholifah Department of Business Administration, Universitas Putra Bangsa, Central Java, Indonesia
Tuti Zakiyah Department of Business Administration, Universitas Putra Bangsa, Central Java, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55980/ebasr.v5i2.460

Keywords:

Cognitive Image, Affective Image, Conative Image, Destination Loyalty, Mixed-Image Destination

Abstract

Destination image is widely linked to loyalty, yet the mechanism connecting evaluative image dimensions to loyal behaviour remains only partially specified, particularly in mixed-image destinations where favourable and unfavourable perceptions coexist. This study examines whether conative image mediates the effects of cognitive and affective image on destination loyalty among domestic tourists in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data from 529 usable responses collected between July and September 2024 were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling with 5,000 bootstrap subsamples. Cognitive and affective image both exert significant direct effects on loyalty and significant indirect effects through conative image, indicating complementary partial mediation. Contrary to the affective-dominance view, cognitive and affective image produced statistically indistinguishable total effects on destination loyalty. The model explains 36.3 per cent of the variance in conative image and 51.6 per cent in destination loyalty. The findings suggest that destination managers in mixed-image settings should balance emotional positioning with improvements in functional destination attributes rather than prioritising affective appeals alone. These findings extend the cognitive–affective–conative framework by showing that conative image functions as a meaningful transmission mechanism and that cognitive and affective evaluations can contribute comparably to loyalty in a mixed-image destination

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