Rethinking conative image

The concept of conative image, originating from psychology, has been widely applied in tourism research. Within the cognitive–affective–conative (CAC) model, it is traditionally regarded as the consequential component of destination image. However, it suffers from conceptual vagueness, theoretical tautology, limited consideration of volitional processes and inadequate adaptation to today's data-rich environments. These issues also undermine its explanatory capacity to analyse the factors driving tourist behaviour. To overcome these challenges, we propose an extended conative framework for tourism destination research (eCFTD). This approach separates behavioural intentions from actual actions, removes conative elements from destination image to avoid circular reasoning and integrates volitional factors, such as self-efficacy, action planning and intention stability. Applicable to physical, virtual and synthetic destinations, eCFTD employs technology-driven nudging to enhance destination management. By addressing key limitations, it offers a rigorous and data-informed approach that advances both tourism research and practical management.