Impact of Travel Motivation on Tourist’s Attitude Toward Destination: Evidence of Mediating Effect of Destination Image

This research aims at exploring the relationship between travel motivation and tourists’ attitude toward a destination. The study also aims at assessing the mediating role played by destination image between travel motivation and tourists’ attitude toward destination. Data for the study has been collected from tourists visiting Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir state of India) during the month of July to September (N = 350). Utilizing two theoretical lenses, that of the theory of image and theory of planned behavior, findings of the study revealed positive relationship between tourists’ travel motivation and their attitude toward the destination, which is mediated by destination image. Furthermore, this study contributes by signifying that tourism marketers need to make every possible effort to enhance travel motivation of tourists, so as to build positive image and favorable attitude of tourists toward the destination.