Promotion of the Destination Image of Russia among Chinese Millennials

The purpose of the study was to develop an optimal communication strategy to promote the image of Russia as touristic destination among Chinese millenials. The focus of this study will be on the conative component of the destination image, which affects the behavioral intentions of the potential tourist. The author of the study was interested in assessing the role of behavior in the social network (photo / video sharing and discussions) and sales promotion in the social network as a moderator in the relationship between the image of the destination and the intention to visit. Also, the impact of demographic characteristics and travel experience of tourists on the perception of the above constructs was analyzed. As a research method, a survey was selected, which was conducted online through a popular social network in China - WeChat. A total of 189 respondents’ answers were used for statistical analysis. After the factor analysis, a regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses put forward and the research model. Two hypotheses out of three were confirmed during the analysis. Once again, the positive influence of the image of the destination and the intention to visit a particular place was revealed. In particular, the results of the moderation analysis confirmed that behavior in social media (photo / video sharing and discussions) is a moderator in the structural relationship between the image of the destination and the intention to visit. Based on the results of the cluster and discriminant analyzes, the author determined that the demographic characteristics of tourists and the experience of travel influence the perception of the constructs of the study. Based on the results of the statistical analyzes, the author developed and proposed recommendations for improving the image of the destination through Chinese social media.