Evaluation of Customer Intention to Visit Destination of Halal EcoTourism using Structural Equation Modelling

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate customer intention to visit destination of halal ecotourism using structural equation modelling. Destination of halal eco-tourism is place for
tourism that educate visitors about environmental awareness and providing halal compliant
entertainment. The methodology implemented in this study is using questionnaire method. The
dependent variable is customer intention to visit destination of halal eco-tourism. The four
independent variables are brand equity, culture, quality and social. This framework using social
distance theory. The number of respondents is 300 customers that have intention to visit tourism
places. Then, the finding was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis for pooled model.
Then, the validity and reliability constructs of measurement model were validated using absolute
fit, incremental fit and parsimonious fit. Next, structural model of path analysis using structural
equation modelling was performed. The result shows the absolute fit (RMSEA) is 0.029,
incremental fit (CFI) is 0.997 and parsimonious fit (Chi-square/degree-of-freedom) is 1.247. All
of three model fit indexes indicate the measurement and structural model is good fit with data.
Multiple regression analysis shows all four exogenous latent constructs indicates significant
relationship to endogenous latent construct namely customer intention to visit destination of
halal eco-tourism. The novelty of this research is it provides a clear procedure for performing
confirmatory factor analysis for validating model fit with data. In the same time, four latent
variables have significant relationship to customer intention to visit destination of halal ecotourism