CREATIVE CULTURE AS A BUSINESS CATALYST: HOW TOURIST EXPERIENCES SHAPE DESTINATION BRAND SELF-CONGRUENCE AND BRAND ATTACHMENT

Abstract

The travel and tourism industries have undergone tremendous transformations with economic expansion. Creative cultural experiences serve as a catalyst for business in shaping destination brand self-congruence in hospitality and tourism. The current research aims to examine the relationship between creative cultural experiences and destination brand self-congruence, with the moderating role of brand attachment in the context of northern areas (Swat Valley) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study is quantitative in nature, employing a positivist approach and utilizing a previously adapted survey instrument. Drawing on brand attachment theory, Results revealed a significant positive main effect of creative cultural experiences on destination brand self-congruence. Furthermore, Brand attachment emerged as a significant positive moderator, amplifying the relationship such that high-attachment tourists experienced even stronger congruence gains from these experiences. These findings underscore the strategic value of curating creative cultural offerings to enhance brand resonance, particularly for loyal visitors. Implications for destination marketers include prioritizing experiential authenticity to build self-aligned identities, while future research could explore longitudinal effects or cross-cultural generalizability. This study contributes to tourism branding by empirically linking experiential creativity to congruence outcomes under moderated conditions.