Fostering tattoo tourism for destination brand love through psychological mechanisms

This study investigated how tattoo tourism influences destination brand love through psychological mechanisms. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the quantitative phase employed SEM and fsQCA to examine links among self-congruity, value expression, self-enhancement, memory-making, emotional well-being, and DBL. The qualitative phase complemented these results through computational analyses of tattoo tourist interviews, adding depth and context. The findings showed that self-congruity was positively associated with value expression and self-enhancement, both of which contributed to DBL. Memory-making acted as a key mediator, while emotional well-being indirectly supported DBL by enhancing memory significance. The fsQCA identified multiple sufficient paths to DBL, highlighting the importance of symbolic and emotional experiences. This study offers a context-specific extension of self-congruity and destination brand love research by examining how tattoo tourism links self-expression, self enhancement, and memory-making with tourists ‘affection toward the destination, and it also offers practical insights to aid destination marketers in designing emotionally resonant and self enhancement travel experiences. By aligning tattoo offerings with travelers’ self-conceptions and emotional needs, destinations can foster strong, lasting tourist relationships.