Abstract (150 Words)
This study is an extension of Hosany and Gilbert’s (2010) original research on the development of a scale measuring the diversity and intensity of tourists’ emotional experiences toward destinations: the destination emotion scale (DES). The DES consists of 15 items, representing three emotional dimensions: joy, love and positive surprise. Although the DES displays solid psychometric properties, further evidence is required of the scale’s validity. Using data collected from international tourists visiting two distinct destinations, Petra (Jordan) and Thailand, this study further examines the scale’s construct validity. Adopting state of the art procedures guiding scale validation, results confirm the unidimensionality, reliability, convergent, discriminant and nomological validity of the DES. In particular, discriminant validity tests show that emotions and place attachment are related but distinct constructs. The DES provides a useful tool for marketers and academics to measure tourists’ emotional responses toward destinations.
Measuring Tourists’ Emotional Experiences: Further Validation of the Destination Emotion Scale
This study is an extension of Hosany and Gilbert’s (2010) original research on the development of a scale measuring the diversity and intensity of tourists’ emotional experiences toward destinations: the destination emotion scale (DES). The DES consists of 15 items, representing three emotional dimensions: joy, love and positive surprise. Although the DES displays solid psychometric properties, further evidence is required of the scale’s validity. Using data collected from international tourists visiting two distinct destinations, Petra (Jordan) and Thailand, this study further examines the scale’s construct validity. Adopting state of the art procedures guiding scale validation, results confirm the unidimensionality, reliability, convergent, discriminant and nomological validity of the DES. In particular, discriminant validity tests show that emotions and place attachment are related but distinct constructs. The DES provides a useful tool for marketers and academics to measure tourists’ emotional responses toward destinations.
