Abstract

This research aims to understand the perception of tourists in relation to brand respect of Natal-RN (tourist destination in Brazil) from the dimensions of the Lovemarks Theory. The study, which has a descriptive quantitative nature, proposed to test a theoretical model based on the dimensions of the Lovemarks Theory, namely: trust, reputation, performance and brand respect. Data were collected through an online survey created on Google Forms platform, which obtained 285 valid responses. The analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22 and SmartPLS 3 software. The results showed that all research hypotheses were supported, validating the application of the Lovemarks Theory in a tourist destination. Regarding the ‘brand respect’ construct, the study's findings indicated a greater relationship between it and the 'trust' dimension (structural coefficient = 0.481). The latent variables 'trust', 'reputation' and 'performance' explain 60.10% of brand respect in the context of a tourist destination. From a theoretical point of view, the study contributes by providing subsidies for the proposed model to be replicated in other destinations. In managerial terms, the research suggests actions to develop a destination brand management based on offering elements that guarantee a positive experience for the traveler in that place.

Keywords
Lovemarks Theory; Tourist destination; Brand respect; Destination brand