From branded exports to traveler imports: Building destination image on the factory floor in South Korea

In international marketing, it is believed that a positive image of an exporting country positively influences consumer behavior toward products from that country. An emerging notion is that a reverse effect may exist in which positive evaluations of products lead to equally positive image of the origin country. Based on a sample of 500 American purchasers of South Korean products the relationship between product purchasing and intention to visit is explored using SEM in a model that links product evaluation with an intention to visit. The study confirmed that consumers' willingness to interact with South Korea based on past product purchasing was a significant indicator of their intentions to visit the country.