From Clicks to Trips: Examining Online Destination Brand Experience in Ecotourism Decision Making

Adina-Nicoleta Candrea (), Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc, Ana Ispas, Cristinel-Petrişor Constantin and Florin Nechita ()
Additional contact information
Adina-Nicoleta Candrea: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brașov, 500036 Brașov, Romania
Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brașov, 500036 Brașov, Romania
Ana Ispas: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brașov, 500036 Brașov, Romania
Cristinel-Petrişor Constantin: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brașov, 500036 Brașov, Romania
Florin Nechita: Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brașov, Romania

Administrative Sciences, 2025, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-25

Abstract: Destination Management Organizations (DMO) increasingly harness social media to foster favorable online destination brand experiences (ODBEs) during travelers’ pre-trip planning. However, empirical knowledge about such experiences in ecotourism contexts remains limited. This study addresses the gap by proposing and validating an ODBE measurement scale adapted to ecotourism destinations. An online questionnaire was administered to Facebook users following seven certified Romanian ecotourism destinations, yielding 281 valid responses. Through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory composite analysis, the scale was refined into three components—hedonic, utilitarian, and spatio-temporal—capturing emotional immersion, rational evaluation, and destination-specific spatial perceptions. Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that ODBEs exert a strong, positive effect on two key behavioral intentions: visiting the destination (β = 0.913) and sharing destination information online (β = 0.875). This study advances theories on tech-mediated pre-travel experiences by emphasizing nature and local culture. The findings provide DMOs with practical guidance for creating effective social media content to enhance destination branding and support sustainable tourism.

Keywords: social media; destination management organizations; online destination brand experience; scale; pre-travel phase (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/6/228/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/6/228/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:15:y:2025:i:6:p:228-:d:1678412

Access Statistics for this article

Administrative Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Nancy Ma

More articles in Administrative Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().