The Influence Of Digital Marketing Strategies And Destination Image On The Visiting Decision Of Surfing Tourists To Rote Island In 2025

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of digital marketing strategy and destination image on the visiting decisions of surfing tourists to Rote Island, East Nusa Tenggara, in 2025. The research is grounded in the increasing importance of digital transformation in tourism promotion and the untapped potential of Rote Island as a world-class surfing destination. Using a quantitative associative approach with an explanatory design, the study surveyed 100 surfing tourists who had previously visited Rote Island. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression.

The results show that both digital marketing strategy and destination image have significant partial and simultaneous effects on tourists' visiting decisions. The coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.423 indicates that 42.3% of the variance in visiting decisions is explained by the two independent variables. These findings reinforce the relevance of the AIDA model in digital tourism marketing and highlight the synergistic role of digital promotion and destination image in influencing travel behavior, particularly among special interest tourists.

Theoretically, the study contributes to destination marketing literature by integrating digital marketing and destination image into a unified behavioral framework. Practically, the results offer valuable insights for local stakeholders in designing more effective digital campaigns, enhancing destination branding, and fostering sustainable tourism development in emerging niche destinations like Rote Island.