The Effect of Cyberspace Advertising on the Choice of a Tourist Destination Brand with the Mediating Role of Matching the Tourist's Self-Concept and the Original Identity of the Tourist Destination (Case Study: Ardabil Province)

Today، the need to pay attention to the role of advertising in choosing a brand of tourism destination، is one of the effective factors in attracting and retaining tourists to the tourism region. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of cyberspace advertising on the choice of tourism destination brand، with the mediating role of tourist self-concept، and the original identity of the tourist destination in Ardabil province. The research method is descriptive-correlational in nature، and is classified as applied research in terms of purpose. The statistical population of this research consists of all specialists، experts and university professors in the field of tourism، and is 68 people. The sampling method in the present study is the total census method، and 68 people were selected as the sample size. The data collection tool of this research was a 49-item questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed based on structural equation modeling with SmartPLS software. The results showed that cyberspace advertising، on the destination tourism brand، with a path coefficient of 0.32، cyberspace advertising، on the tourist self-concept، with a path coefficient of 0.77، cyberspace advertising، on the original identity of the tourist destination، with a path coefficient of 0.42، the conformity of the tourist self-concept، on the original identity of the tourist destination، with a coefficient of 0.22، the conformity of the tourist self-concept، on the brand of the tourist destination، with a coefficient of 0.25 and the original identity of the tourist destination، on the brand of the tourist destination، with a coefficient of 0.37 has been effective. Therefore، virtual advertising has influenced the choice of destination brand with the mediating role of self-concept، and the original identity of the tourist destination، and attracting many tourists، requires a sense of tourist self-concept with the destination brand.