| Summary: | This proposed study aims to explore the impact of social interactions on the formulation of destination image within rural tourism in China. Despite acknowledging the importance of destination image in tourism competitiveness, key areas such as the influence of tourist- tourist interactions and a holistic examination of all interaction types remain under- researched. Furthermore, this research highlights the often-overlooked conative component, which reflects behavioral intentions, within the tri-dimensional destination image assessment. This conceptual paper plans to investigate the effects of various social interactions, including tourist-resident, tourist-tourism employee, tourist-companion, and tourist-other tourist interactions, on the cognitive, affective, and conative components of destination image. In this study, a comprehensive dataset will be compiled through both online and face-to-face surveys using judgment sampling. After the data collection, the Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) method will be used for analysis. The objective of this research is to elucidate the role of social interactions in shaping destination images, especially within the Chinese rural tourism context. Through these findings, the implications of the study will offer insights that advance the improvement of tourist experiences, elevate destination allure, and foster rural tourism progression in China.
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