DESTINATION IDENTITY: USING ROSSITER’S PARADIGM TO CREATE A MEASURE SCALE, CASE OF TUNISIA

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a destination identity scale. Convergences between identity and related concepts, like image and personality, were identified. The Rossiter's C-OAR-SE procedure was applied. Semi structured interviews have been done nearby 20 professionals and 19 tourists. The qualitative software NVIVO 7 was used to analyze the interviews. 10 academicians, considered as experts in tourism marketing, classified the different verbatim into eleven components from which 8 items were selected according to the elimination criterion of Rossiter: sociopolitical climate, nature, history, gastronomy, local population, price, culture, and professionalism. These items constitute the destination identity scale.