How destination image projected on social media influences online sales of tourism services: exploring the moderating role of tourists’ experience

While previous research has focused on the cognitive and affective dimensions of destination image and their effects on tourists’ attitudes and intentions (rather than actual behaviours), this study takes a three-dimensional approach to examine tourists’ objective responses. It examines how cognitive, affective, and sensory destination images projected by the destination marketing organisation (DMO) through social media influence its online sales of tourism services. Analysing 1676 social media posts from a DMO, findings reveal that cognitive and sensory images positively affect online sales. Additionally, tourists’ previous experience with the destination moderates the effects of the three dimensions of projected destination image.