This study examined the personality traits associated with Kansas among first-time and repeat visitors. A survey was administered to 209 visitors, measuring perceptions of Kansas's brand personality. Results showed that hardworking, reliable, and down-to-earth were the top traits associated with Kansas. Repeat visitors saw Kansas as less sincere, contemporary, and outdoorsy than first-time visitors. The researchers concluded that focusing marketing efforts on portraying Kansas's sincerity and contemporary aspects could help create stronger emotional loyalty among tourists and increase repeat visits.

1. PERSONALITY TRAITS OF KANSAS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN FIRST AND REPEAT VISITORS
Naiqing Lin, M.S. and Kevin R Roberts, Ph.D.
Department of Hospitality Management, College of Human Ecology, Kansas State University
Measurement
• The survey instrument for this study was based on Aaker’s (1997) Brand
Personality Inventory, combined with single-item measures of travel
satisfaction, and demographic questions.
• A pilot study (n = 25) was conducted in Sep 2016 to ensure questionnaire
clarity, question flow, and face validity.
• The main study (N = 599) was distributed through an online marketing
company using three waves of data collection in both the spring and fall to
even the effect of seasonal concentration of tourism demand (Fernandez et
al., 2016) and control for common method biases (Podsakoff, 2007).
Data Analysis
• A non-parametric ranking method was conducted using a Henry Garrett
Ranking Analysis (Garg, 2015; Garrett, 1924). Where, Rij = Rank given for the
ith item by the jth individual and Nj = Number of items ranked by the jth
individual:
Percent position =
100 (Rij−0.5 )
Nj
• Post-hoc analysis using the Mann-Whitney-U-Test between first and repeat
visitors were conducted on brand personality and travel satisfaction scales.
Data Collection
• After purging incomplete responses and fraudulent responses, a total of 209
(34.9%) participants were recorded.
• Post-hoc power analysis demonstrated the study sample has satisfied a
power set at (1-β > .99), alpha (p < 0.001), and a medium effect size (d > 0.5)
(Faul, Erdfedlder, Lang, & Buchner, 2007).
• With an estimated 33.7 million visitors to Kansas yearly, Dillman’s (2014)
population sampling estimator noted that our sample of 209 participants with
a 50/50 spilt, the confidence interval is 95% ± 6.85%.
• Tourism, in general, is a context where emotional attachment serves as a key
factor that affects destination selection (Ekinci, Hosany, 2006; Matzler et al.,
2016).
• One way to establish emotional attachment is to use humanlike branding
traits, often referred to as destination personality, which prompts a positive
destination image and emotional bond between tourists and a destination
(Usakli & Baloglu, 2011; Yuksel et al., 2010).
• A well-established brand personality that facilitates differentiation of Kansas
from that of its competitors is vitally important to increase emotional loyalty
and attract repeat visitors (Chen & Myagmarsuren, 2010; Chi, 2012).
• Repeat visitors are less likely to be satisfied but have a stronger intention to
revisit in the future than new visitors (Wong, Wu, & Cheng, 2015; Wu, Wong,
& Cheng, 2014).
• The rapid growth of the tourism industry has resulted in increased
segmentation, overall low-profit margins, and a plethora of brands and
offerings within the tourism sector (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2016).
• The American culture and economy are shifting away from a small number of
mainstream products and markets, and moving towards a large number of
niche markets (Anderson, 2009; Pan & Li, 2011).
• The growing niche markets coupled with the technology changes present a
new round of opportunity for niche market tourism, which can once again
benefit rural communities (Pan & Li, 2011; Xiang & Gretzel, 2010).
Background
Literature Review
MethodologyMethodology
Department of Hospitality Management
College of Human Ecology
Results
• Most participants were white, (64.1%) and married (40.7%). The average
participant has traveled to Kansas 3.13 ± 2.69 times.
• Hardworking, reliable, and down-to-earth were ranked as the top-three among
all brand personality traits.
• Post-hoc comparisons of all 42 brand personality items indicated sincere (Z =
-2.22, p < 0.05), contemporary (Z = -2.16, p < 0.05), and outdoorsy (Z = -
1.98, p < 0.05), showed a significant decrease between repeat and first-time
visitors.
• A one-way ANOVA showed no significant differences in overall travel
satisfaction between first-time and repeat travelers.
• With the rise of the niche tourism, the results of this study can better position
Kansas in the niche tourism market by helping us understand the most
important impression among potential travelers and repeat visitors.
• The results suggest that an emotional bond to Kansas is established when
tourists are connected with a sense of hardworking, reliability, and down-to-
earth atmosphere that Kansas is known for.
• Our results suggest personalized attributes of Kansas that, if used correctly
during marketing, can create more emotional loyalty that will eventually lead
to sustainable state revenue and future employment opportunities.
• Repeat visitors identified Kansas as less Sincere, Contemporary, and
Outdoorsy than the first time visitor. Marketers should ensure that Kansas is
consistent and authentic in its marketing to tourists.
• Marketers should carefully review marketing materials to ensure the
message accurately portrays the reality that Kansas has established.
• For example, a guided marketing campaign with a specific emphasis on
the sincerity and contemporary developments of Kansas will most likely
win over repeat visitors and create stable emotional loyalty among tourists.
• Due to the lack of parsimonious taxonomy within the Brand Personality
Theory, the questionnaire used in this study only employed two components:
affective and cognitive associations. Future explanatory studies utilizing field
research methods is encouraged.
Conclusion & Implications
Purpose & Research Questions
The purpose of this research was to develop an understanding of how tourists
view Kansas and develop a brand personality that can be applied to marketing
the state to increase tourism, thereby increasing state and local sales taxes
generated from tourism. Specific questions included:
• What are the top personality attributes that describe Kansas among US
travelers?
• What personality traits are significantly different between first-time and repeat
visitors regarding top personality ranking?