Tourists’ Perceptual Positioning of Brand Equity and Competitive Relationships in Organic Agricultural Tourism

Abstract

In the face of a highly competitive tourism market, when tourists hold positive brand equity towards a destination, it enhances the destination’s ability to differentiate itself from competitors. This study focuses on the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism, using multidimensional scaling (MDS) to explore the factor structure of brand equity and the perceptual positioning of various tourism destination brands. The research targets tourists engaging in organic agricultural tourism in the Hualien and Taitung regions, with 220 valid questionnaires collected. The research findings indicate the following: 1. Among the 22 brand equity items, “loyalty to organic agricultural tourism”, “awareness of organic agricultural products”, “quality of organic agricultural products”, “environmental sustainability”, “image of healthy tourism”, and “recognition of organic agricultural development” scored the highest. 2. The analysis revealed that the brand equity factors are ranked in the following order: BIHS, BACI, BPQ, BLO, and BAW. 3. Through MDS analysis, the five organic agricultural tourism destinations were categorized into high, medium, and low brand equity groups, illustrating the differentiated competitive relationships among these destinations. The top three factors influencing the brand perceptual maps were BAW, BIHS, and BPQ. The results of this study can serve as a reference for future research on brand equity in organic agricultural tourism and provide a scientific basis for the practical application of shaping brand equity and formulating competitive strategies.

1. Introduction

The eastern regions of Hualien and Taitung in Taiwan are renowned for their pristine natural environment and unique rural lifestyle, featuring magnificent mountains, clear rivers, and rich biodiversity. These areas offer visitors a tranquil retreat away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Developing organic agricultural tourism, which combines organic, toxin-free farming with tourism, not only enhances the quality and safety of agricultural products but also increases the supply capacity of these products. This approach promotes healthy land development and achieves the goal of an environmentally friendly environment [1,2,3]. Additionally, this form of tourism enhances the physical and mental health experiences of visitors. By participating in agricultural activities such as planting and harvesting, tourists can experience rural life and improve their well-being through physical labor and close contact with nature [4]. Simultaneously, organic agricultural tourism integrates rural tourism with environmental and ecological protection, preserving the natural environment and ecosystems and maintaining local biodiversity, thereby providing visitors with a more natural tourism experience [2,5,6]. Organic agricultural tourism brings economic benefits to local communities, such as increasing employment opportunities and encouraging more young people to return to their hometowns. It also promotes the sustainable development of rural tourism destinations, for example, by providing an agricultural tourism environment and an organic ecological environment [7,8,9].

In a fiercely competitive market, establishing unique brand equity is crucial for organic agricultural tourism. This not only helps enhance tourists’ intention to travel but also promotes the long-term development and sustainability of organic agricultural tourism. Developing a strong brand image aids in increasing tourists’ recognition and willingness to spend, thereby fostering the continuous growth and prosperity of organic agricultural tourism [9,10]. Due to the rapid growth of the tourism industry, organic agricultural tourism faces intense market competition. Positive brand equity enables a destination to differentiate itself in the market, thus increasing tourists’ intention to visit. Therefore, brand equity of a tourist destination is a crucial attribute influencing destination choice [11,12,13].

In this competitive environment, organic agricultural tourism needs to establish unique brand equity to stand out. A strong brand image enhances consumer recognition and subsequently increases their willingness to spend. According to a search in the Web of Science (WOS) database using “agriculture” as a keyword, there are a total of 36,262 articles, yet there are no articles specifically addressing customer-based brand equity (CBBE), and only 3 articles on brand equity. This highlights a significant research gap in the study of brand equity within the field of organic agricultural tourism [14]. The gap suggests that existing research has not fully explored the impact and importance of brand equity in organic agricultural tourism. The reason for this phenomenon may lie in the fact that organic agriculture and tourism belong to different fields, and the theory of brand equity initially developed in the realms of business and marketing. Research on organic agricultural tourism has typically focused on environmental sustainability, community development, and ecological benefits. Therefore, combining organic agricultural tourism with brand equity for research represents a relatively new interdisciplinary area that has not yet received sufficient attention. Additionally, brand equity research has traditionally been more focused on business brands, product brands, and service brands, especially in sectors like fast-moving consumer goods, luxury goods, and consumer electronics. The market for organic agricultural tourism is relatively small and fragmented, particularly because this field emphasizes local characteristics and small-scale individual operations. These features make researchers more inclined to study larger, more mainstream markets when discussing brand equity, rather than the niche organic agricultural tourism market. Consequently, this study focuses on the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism, utilizing multidimensional scaling (MDS) to explore the factor structure of brand equity and the emotional positioning of various tourism destination brands. By employing a new theoretical framework and model, this research aims to bridge the gap in the literature.

Understanding tourists’ perception of brand equity at various organic agricultural tourism destinations is pivotal in analyzing the impact of brand equity on tourist behavior [15]. To delve deeper into this issue, relevant studies employ MDS to analyze tourists’ preferences and differentiation [16]. This study will utilize MDS to analyze tourists’ perception of brand equity across different organic agricultural tourism destinations, exploring how tourists perceive brand equity in this context. It aims to understand the various dimensions of brand equity and their differentiation, thereby revealing each destination’s relative position and competitive status in tourists’ minds. This analytical approach helps uncover differences in brand equity factors among different destinations and further investigates the key factors influencing brand equity differentiation.

Through the above analysis, this study aims to investigate how to establish unique brand equity in organic agricultural tourism, including brand image, brand awareness, and brand value, to enhance tourists’ travel intentions and brand attractiveness. Using multidimensional scaling (MDS), the study will explore tourists’ perceptions of brand equity across different organic agricultural tourism destinations, revealing the relative position and competitive status of brand equity factors in tourists’ minds. Additionally, the study will provide insights into brand equity factors for destination managers, helping them develop more effective brand management and marketing strategies to enhance the competitiveness of their destinations.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Brand Equity

Brand equity (BE) refers to consumers’ perception of the value and influence of a brand, which is crucial for successful brand management [17,18]. Keller [18] introduced the concept of customer-based brand equity (CBBE) from a consumer behavior perspective, highlighting that CBBE is formed when consumers develop strong, positive perceptions and emotional connections with a brand. Research suggests that when tourists hold strong, favorable, and positive impressions of a destination, they similarly develop it for that destination. These impressions help operators understand consumers’ responses to the brand [19,20]. Therefore, when a tourism destination presents unique and attractive brand equity, it significantly influences tourists’ intention to visit [21].

Aaker [17] proposed five dimensions of brand assets including awareness, loyalty, perceived quality, associations/image, and brand assets. Related studies often use awareness, loyalty, perceived quality, and associations/image as the four dimensions to measure customer-based brand equity [22,23,24,25,26]. This study uses Aaker’s [17] framework of brand assets as the foundation for measuring brand equity.

2.2. Organic Agricultural Tourism Brand Equity

The brand equity of organic agricultural tourism consists of several main components: destination, organic agriculture, organic agricultural products, and tourism experiences. These elements collectively influence the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism.

• Destination: the natural environment and rural cultural landscapes of organic agricultural tourism destinations provide visitors with opportunities to experience rural life [5]. These unique natural and cultural landscapes allow tourists to escape urban life, alleviate work stress, and enhance their physical and mental well-being [4]. Developing organic agricultural tourism can leverage these advantages to attract tourists, which is crucial for the success of tourism destinations [27,28]. Furthermore, favorable environmental and cultural landscapes also influence tourists’ loyalty to the destination [29].
• Organic agriculture: organic agriculture forms the core of organic agricultural tourism, emphasizing non-toxic and harmless farming methods that avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This agricultural approach not only protects the environment but also produces healthy and safe organic agricultural products, attracting tourists who seek a healthy lifestyle [1,2,3].
• Organic agricultural products: organic agricultural products constitute another crucial component of organic agricultural tourism. High-quality organic agricultural products can enhance tourists’ satisfaction with the destination and strengthen its brand equity [30,31]. The health and safety of these products, along with their environmental friendliness during production, are significant factors that attract tourists.
• Travel experience: travel experience is a key element of brand equity in organic agricultural tourism. Through independent and immersive experiences, tourists can explore people, things, and activities they enjoy and are interested in, which improves their mood [5]. Such experiences not only satisfy tourists but also help them establish connections with others or societal culture through their evaluations and endorsements of services and products [30,32,33]. A positive travel experience can provide tourists with memorable feelings, positively impacting their subjective well-being, sense of place attachment, satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth, and loyalty [34,35].

Organic agricultural tourism is based on environmentally friendly farming practices that avoid the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, promoting soil health and biodiversity. This model emphasizes the protection of natural resources and the achievement of sustainable agricultural production. At the same time, tourists participating in organic farming activities gain environmental knowledge, further enhancing their awareness of environmental protection [5,27]. As a result, this approach increases tourists’ recognition of organic agriculture. For example, organic agricultural tourism creates additional income sources for local farmers and small-scale farm operators. These tourism activities integrate local agricultural and cultural resources with the tourism industry, fostering local economic growth, reducing rural depopulation, and increasing farmers’ (local residents’) income. This, in turn, promotes the sustainable development of the ecological environment. Furthermore, this type of tourism promotes a healthy rural lifestyle, which helps alleviate community stress and improves physical and mental well-being [6].

Organic agricultural products are produced according to sustainable development principles, offering safe and high-quality products that reduce negative environmental impacts, thereby meeting tourists’ demands for food health and safety. The quality and safety of these products are closely related to human health and life safety [36]. Certification of organic agriculture and its products ensures the quality of the organic agricultural environment and products, further increasing tourists’ trust in the products. Trust directly affects perceived quality, brand image, and purchase intentions [23,36].

These components will be used in this study to measure the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism and to further explore how to establish and strengthen brand equity in a competitive market.

3. Research Methodology

3.1. Research Site

Based on the researchers’ long-term participation in observing organic agricultural tourism in the following five areas, and combined with the data and introductions of these areas, their characteristics are described as follows:

3.1.1. Luoshan

Luoshan Organic Agriculture Village centers its development around its unique organic agriculture and natural environment. The village has created educational activities focusing on food agriculture and environmental education, aiming to deepen visitors’ recognition of “good land, good food, and good life”, thereby enhancing the diverse value of agricultural products. Additionally, this area creatively uses local organic ingredients to produce unique and healthy wellness and gourmet meals. During the rural experience activities, visitors can join farmers in the fields, personally engaging in spring planting, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, and winter storing, thus truly experiencing the joy of interacting with nature.

3.1.2. Dongfeng

Dongfeng, located in the fertile fields of the East Rift Valley, benefits from the clean and unpolluted environment of the Coastal Mountain Range, creating unique natural landscapes and nurturing healthy and delicious organic agricultural products. Additionally, Dongfeng boasts significant ecological habitats and a rich diversity of cultural heritage. The mountain mist of the East Rift Valley and the Peach Blossom Village depicted in “Peach Blossom Spring” showcase the splendid rural scenery, natural landscapes, and the warm hospitality of the countryside. Visitors can enjoy the relaxation and joy of rural life, completely different from the urban experience [37].

3.1.3. Chishang

The Rice Country Pavilion and Golden Harvest Pavilion in Chishang Township exhibit various early agricultural tools and combine rice-milling processes, rice food DIY, and farming experience activities. Visitors can also taste traditional Hakka rice dishes made from Chishang’s renowned rice, savoring the strong sense of local hospitality and experiencing the charm of traditional industries and rural life. On Bolang Avenue, the blue sky and white clouds, along with golden rice stalks swaying like waves in the wind, create a picturesque scene. Bicycling slowly through the expansive rice fields and mountainous landscapes offers a delightful embrace of the Earth’s beauty and a relaxing rural experience [38].

3.1.4. Fengbin

This area features the largest coastal terraced fields in Taiwan, focusing on the development of healthy organic agriculture. Located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the moisture from the sea nourishes the rice fields, producing high-quality organic rice and various agricultural products. By rehabilitating farmland and transitioning to organic and eco-friendly agriculture, the region has become a new highlight for recreation and ecological tourism. Additionally, local elementary school children are invited to participate in rice-growing activities such as transplanting seedlings, weeding, fertilizing, and collecting apple snails. Field sketching activities are also held, allowing children to capture the ripening of rice with their brushes, thereby incorporating organic agriculture tourism into their education [39].

3.1.5. Guangfu

Guangfu Township is the largest Amis indigenous area in East Taiwan, featuring excellent valley wetland resources and distinctive indigenous rural industries. The area combines indigenous culture, ecological experience tourism, and specialty agricultural DIY activities. It boasts a rich and clean production environment and cultural landscapes. Guangfu Township’s emphasis on the sustainable and cyclical use of local ingredients, focusing on “forest, riverbank, and family” food sources, reflects a profound respect for nature and multiculturalism. This integration of local ingredients not only highlights the area’s unique culture but also promotes the practice of organic agriculture and slow food living, demonstrating a commitment to environmental protection [40].

3.2. Measurement Development

The research utilizes a literature review to understand the dimensions of various constructs, serving as the basis for questionnaire design. The explanation is as follows:

• Brand equity: this research aims to establish positive, strong, and unique brand associations for organic agricultural tourism and destinations through distinctive environments, experiences, products, and services. This approach helps enhance tourists’ understanding, purchase confidence, and satisfaction with organic agricultural tourism, creating value for tourists and a competitive advantage for organic agricultural tourism. Based on literature from Aaker [17] and Liu [41], the study measures brand equity using the following dimensions: brand loyalty (3 items), brand awareness (3 items), brand perceived quality (4 items), brand image of health and sustainability (3 items), and brand assets of certification and identity (5 items), using a five-point Likert scale for measurement.
• Demographic variables: it includes gender, age, marital status, education, occupation, income, and residence, measured using categorical scales.

3.3. Data Collection

This study focuses on brand equity in organic agricultural tourism and conducts an empirical analysis targeting tourists who visit organic agricultural tourism sites in Hualien and Taitung, Taiwan. The research employs a convenience sampling method and uses the online SurveyCake platform to distribute the questionnaire.

To avoid ethical issues, the study targeted adults aged 20 and above who have visited organic agricultural tourism sites in Hualien and Taitung. To enhance the validity of the research data, the questionnaire was designed with the following measures: each account was allowed only one response, and all questions had to be answered before submission. Additionally, before the questionnaire formally begins, the system includes questions to assess whether respondents agree with organic agriculture as a form of tourism and the associated social benefits. Only those who respond affirmatively to these questions proceed to the main survey. Based on the professional judgment of the two authors, responses that did not match the demographic variables and target population were excluded. The survey was conducted from 1 November 2023 to 3 January 2024, and a total of 220 valid responses were collected. Each of the five regions provided 44 valid questionnaires.

3.4. Analysis Tool

This study investigates respondents’ perceptions of brand equity related to organic agricultural tourism at different destinations. The survey questions were formulated based on relevant literature concerning brand equity in organic agricultural tourism. Through the analysis of perceptual maps based on respondents’ views on the brand equity of different destinations, the study investigates the competitive dynamics within organic agricultural tourism across these locations. It also identifies the key factors influencing the perceptual maps of brand equity and conducts a comparative analysis of brand equity differences.

Understanding how consumers construct their preferences and attitudes toward decision-making factors [16] is crucial for analyzing brand equity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) can analyze the structure of factor vectors and their interrelationships but cannot provide a visual representation based on real-world geometric space. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) visualizes multidimensional data into low-dimensional images (two-dimensional or three-dimensional). By examining similarities or distances, MDS generates perceptual maps of consumers’ factors, which aids in identifying, classifying, and labeling the interrelationships between perceived factors.

In this study, SPSS 21.0 was used as the analytical tool to conduct cross-sectional data analysis. Firstly, MDS was employed to analyze the factor dimensions of brand equity. Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to verify the reliability, validity, and discriminant validity of brand equity. Secondly, to obtain perceptual maps and competitive differentiation analysis of brand equity for different organic agricultural tourism destinations, this study applied MDS and the ALSCAL analysis procedure. Finally, the MDS model explained tourists’ brand equity perceptions of different organic agricultural tourism destinations in a two-dimensional space through perceptual maps. The stress value, ranging from 0 to 1, was used to evaluate the MDS model. The study used a five-point Likert scale for the survey instruments and conducted perceptual map analysis for five organic agricultural tourism destinations based on five brand equity dimensions.

3.5. Research Process Design

This study was conducted through the following sections: questionnaire survey and data collection, perceptual map analysis of brand equity factors, reliability and validity analysis of brand equity factors, competitive perception map analysis of organic agricultural tourism, and analysis of the main competitive factors of organic agricultural tourism. The specific steps are illustrated in Figure 1.

4. Analysis of Results and Discussion

4.1. Demographic Variables

The demographic characteristics of respondents showed that there were more female participants (65.0%) than male (34.5%) with ages from 22–31 (32.3%), followed by 42–51 (25.0%). There were also more married participants (56.8%) than unmarried (42.3%). A majority (40.9%) have a university degree, followed by elementary and middle school education (30.9%). The average monthly income of the participants is less than TWD 25,000 for 28.2%, followed by TWD 35,001–45,000 for 20.9%. Most participants’ occupation is student (23.2%), followed by freelancer (21.4%). In terms of their place of residence, a majority live in the northern region (43.2%), followed by those living in the east area (23.2%).

Table 1. Descriptive characteristics of the samples.

Items	Variables	N	%	Items	Variables	N	%
Gender	Male	76	34.5	Occupation	Student	51	23.2
	Female	143	65.0		Civil servant	45	20.5
Marital status	Married	125	56.8		Service	41	18.6
	Single	93	42.3		Business	23	10.5
	Other	1	0.5		Freelance	47	21.4
	22–31	71	32.3		Industry and commerce	13	5.9
Age (years)	32–41	53	24.1	Place of residence	Northern region	95	43.2
	42–51	55	25.0		Central region	38	17.3
	52–61	21	9.5		Southern region	35	15.9
	Above 62	11	5.0		East area	51	23.2
Education	Elementary and middle school	68	30.9	Monthly income (TWD)	≤25,000	62	28.2
					25,001–35,000	34	15.5
	High school	33	15.0		35,001–45,000	46	20.9
	College	90	40.9		45,001–55,000	27	12.3
	Graduate and above	28	12.7		55,001–65,000	21	9.5
					Above 65,000	28	12.7

shows the detailed demographic profiles of the participants.

4.2. Descriptive Statistics

The results of the descriptive statistical analysis are shown in

Table 2. Descriptive statistical analysis.

Construct	Observed Variables		Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (SD)	Factor Loadings	Variation Explained (%)
Brand loyalty (BLO)	BLO1	I have a high level of loyalty to organic agriculture products.	3.93	0.85	0.938	85.431
	BLO2	I have a high level of loyalty to organic agriculture.	3.91	0.85	0.933
	BLO3	I have a high level of loyalty to organic agricultural tourism.	3.95	0.82	0.902
Brand awareness (BAW)	BAW1	I visited here today because the organic agriculture here is quite well-known.	3.87	0.77	0.947	86.496
	BAW2	I visited here today because the organic agricultural products are quite well-known.	3.89	0.78	0.932
	BAW3	I visited here today because the organic agricultural tourism here is quite well-known.	3.85	0.76	0.911
Brand perceived quality (BPQ)	BPQ1	I believe this organic farm provides high-quality service to visitors.	4.09	0.68	0.896	74.174
	BPQ2	I believe this organic farm offers excellent facilities for visitors.	4.00	0.71	0.861
	BPQ3	I believe this organic farm provides visitors with an in-depth organic agriculture experience and high quality.	4.10	0.70	0.895
	BPQ4	I believe the organic agricultural products here are of very high quality.	4.28	0.68	0.788
Brand image of health and sustainability (BIHS)	BIHS1	I believe organic agriculture contributes to environmental sustainability.	4.40	0.67	0.907	83.965
	BIHS2	I believe organic agriculture embodies the image of healthy tourism.	4.40	0.64	0.932
	BIHS3	I believe the environmental conditions here are well-suited for developing organic agriculture.	4.36	0.67	0.909
Brand assets of certification and identity (BACI)	BACI1	I trust that the products here meet organic certification standards.	4.27	0.66	0.846	74.319
	BACI2	I can sense the operators’ commitment to organic agriculture.	4.29	0.66	0.887
	BACI3	I believe the operators have the management capabilities for running organic agriculture.	4.25	0.71	0.872
	BACI4	I agree with the development of organic agriculture here.	4.39	0.68	0.884
	BACI5	I believe organic agriculture has a unique character.	4.32	0.69	0.820

. The average scores for loyalty items ranged between 3.91 and 3.95, with that for “I have a high level of loyalty to organic agricultural tourism” being the highest. Organic agricultural tourism encompasses organic agriculture, organic products, and tourism experiences. From an experiential marketing perspective, tourists are not only purchasing products or services but also generating memorable and positive experiences through tourism [31]. Such memorable experiences foster loyalty [34]. In brand equity, loyalty is a resultant behavior [23], which explains why tourists show the highest loyalty towards organic agricultural tourism.

The average scores for awareness items ranged between 3.85 and 3.89, with that for “I visited here today because the organic agricultural products are quite well-known” being the highest. The average scores for perceived quality items ranged between 4.00 and 4.28, with that for “I believe the organic agricultural products here are of very high quality” being the highest. The natural and pristine environment of Hualien and Taitung is beneficial for growing organic products, minimizing environmental impact, and enhancing public environmental awareness [5]. The safety and quality of agricultural products are closely related to human health and life safety [36] and meet the public’s demand for health [42]. This indicates that the awareness and quality of organic products enhance tourists’ perception of the brand equity of organic agriculture.

The average scores for health and sustainability image items ranged between 4.00 and 4.28, with those for “I believe organic agriculture contributes to environmental sustainability” and “I believe organic agriculture embodies the image of healthy tourism” being the highest. Organic agriculture, by showcasing eco-friendly farming practices and natural landscapes, enhances tourists’ recognition and support for organic farming, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the ecological environment [5,6]. This reflects the ambiance of a slow-paced rural lifestyle and the health benefits of organic products, which help shape the image of environmental sustainability and health value [5,43].

The average scores for organic product certification and recognition items ranged between 4.25 and 4.39, with the highest-rated (M = 4.39) item being “recognition of the development of organic agriculture”, followed by “organic agriculture’s uniqueness” (M = 4.32). Due to the special purity of the Taitung and Hualien environments, tourists place high importance on organic agriculture and product certification to ensure the quality of the organic farming environment and products. This increases tourists’ trust and enhances their purchase intention [36].

4.3. Brand Equity Perception Analysis

This study employed multidimensional scaling (MDS) using SPSS 21.0 to explore the factor structure of brand equity. MDS is commonly used with a two-axis approach for perception mapping, and thus this study also employs a two-axis approach for perception mapping. The results indicate that the model’s stress coefficient is 0.32995, with an R² value of 0.80943, suggesting that the model’s fit is within an acceptable range. The primary purpose of applying MDS for factor structure perception mapping is to summarize the main factors and their structure. As shown in Figure 2, the factor structure of brand equity consists of five dimensions: brand loyalty (BLO), brand awareness (BAW), brand perceived quality (BPQ), brand image of health and sustainability (BIHS), and brand assets of certification and identity (BACI).

The analysis identified five dimensions of brand equity factors, ranked from highest to lowest as follows: BIHS, BACI, BPQ, BLO, and BAW. Among these, BIHS and BACI are positioned relatively close to each other, representing high brand equity factors; BLO and BAW are also positioned close to each other, representing low brand equity factors; while BPQ is situated in the middle, representing a moderate brand equity factor. Additionally, Figure 2 shows the average values of each item within the dimensions. The closer an item is to the Y-axis, the higher its average value. For instance, the average scores of the items for brand perceived quality (BPQ) are ranked from highest to lowest as follows: BPQ4, BPQ3, BPQ1, BPQ2.

4.4. Reliability and Validity Analysis

To validate the reliability and validity of each factor dimension derived from MDS, this study used SPSS 21.0 software to perform confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the factor dimensions in the MDS results. Factor loadings (FLs) reflect the explanatory power of each factor dimension for the individual items, while variation explained (VE) indicates the overall explanatory ability of each factor dimension for its associated items. Higher values of FL and VE suggest a better fit between the theoretical model and the actual data. As shown in Table 2, the factor loadings for all variables range from 0.788 to 0.947, exceeding the standard threshold of 0.7. The variation explained by each dimension ranges from 77.174% to 86.846%, indicating high explanatory power [44]. In addition, the fit between factor dimensions and actual items is commonly measured using indicators such as Cronbach’s α and composite reliability (CR) for internal consistency, as well as the average variance extracted (AVE) indicator for overall explanatory power. According to the results in

Table 3. The construct reliability and validity of measure model.

Construct	Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (SD)	Cronbach’s α	CR	AVE
BLO	3.93	0.77	0.915	0.946	0.855
BAW	3.87	0.72	0.922	0.951	0.865
BPQ	4.12	0.60	0.883	0.920	0.742
BIHS	4.39	0.59	0.904	0.940	0.839
BACI	4.31	0.60	0.913	0.935	0.743

, the Cronbach’s α for the latent variables ranges between 0.883 and 0.922, and the CR values range from 0.920 to 0.951, all of which exceed the threshold of 0.7. This indicates that all constructs exhibit good internal consistency. The AVEs range from 0.742 to 0.865, all of which are higher than the recommended threshold of 0.5. This suggests that the variance of the measured variables is explained by the latent variables well, demonstrating convergent validity [45].

Discriminant validity refers to the extent to which constructs are distinct from one another. Specifically, the square root of the AVE for each construct must be greater than its correlation coefficients with other constructs [46]. In this study, the square root of the AVE for each construct exceeds its correlations with other constructs [47], as shown in

Table 4. Discriminant validity (Fornell–Larcker criterion).

	BLO	BAW	BPQ	BIHS	BACI
BLO	0.925
BAW	0.743	0.930
BPQ	0.557	0.515	0.861
BIHS	0.475	0.473	0.685	0.916
BACI	0.530	0.539	0.647	0.835	0.862

Note: The square root of AVE is in bold.

.

Figure 2 shows that, for the same factor dimension, when the items are positioned closer together on the perceptual map, their Cronbach’s α, CR, and AVE values are generally higher. Based on the results of the perceptual map, BAW has the highest Cronbach’s α, CR, and AVE values, followed by BLO, BIHS, BACI, and BPQ.

Moreover, if the distance between different factor dimensions is larger, their discriminant validity is also higher. Specifically, the discriminant validity between BAW and BLO, and between BIHS and BACI, is relatively close; while the discriminant validity of BPQ with BAW, BLO, BIHS, and BACI is at a moderate level. In contrast, the discriminant validity between BLO and BIHS, BACI, as well as between BAW and BIHS, BACI, is higher.

4.5. Brand Perceptual Map

This study analyzed the brand equity perceptions of five organic agricultural tourism destinations using multidimensional scaling (MDS) with five brand equity factor dimensions. The stress coefficient was 0.2950, and the R² value was 0.9238, indicating that the model’s fit is within an acceptable range. The brand perception positioning map is shown in Figure 3, and the mean scores for the brand equity factors of each organic agricultural tourism destination are presented in

Table 5. Mean scores of brand equity factors for organic agricultural tourism destinations.

Construct	High Brand Equity		Medium Brand Equity		Low Brand Equity	Max–Min
	Luoshan (B)	Dongfeng (E)	Fengbin (D)	Chishang (A)	Guangfu (C)
BLO	4.0000	4.0152	4.0076	3.9167	3.7273	0.2879
BAW	4.0530	4.0682	3.8106	3.7955	3.6212	0.4470
BPQ	4.2159	4.1875	4.1080	4.1591	3.9205	0.2954
BIHS	4.5568	4.3864	4.4148	4.3295	4.1648	0.3920
BACI	4.3864	4.3750	4.3125	4.2727	4.1591	0.2273

. The results indicate that Luoshan (B) and Dongfeng (E) belong to the high brand equity group, Chishang (A) and Fengbin (D) belong to the medium brand equity group, while Guangfu (C) belongs to the low brand equity group. The X-axis of the brand perception map represents image and unique assets, while the Y-axis represents awareness and perceived quality. The top three factors influencing the brand perception map are brand awareness (BAW), brand image of health and sustainability (BIHS), and brand perceived quality (BPQ).

The competitive relationships and differentiating factors within the same brand equity group and between different brand equity groups are evident. Within the same brand equity group, if the tourism destinations are positioned closer to each other on the perceptual map, their brand equity is also more similar, leading to more intense competition. According to Figure 3 and Table 5, the competition is most intense between Fengbin and Chishang in the medium brand equity group, with Fengbin having a higher brand equity than Chishang. The key factors contributing to the competitive difference between Fengbin and Chishang are BLO, BIHS, and BPQ, with Fengbin outperforming Chishang in these aspects.

In the high brand equity group, the competition between Luoshan and Dongfeng is somewhat less intense, with Luoshan having higher brand equity than Dongfeng. The main factor contributing to the competitive difference between Luoshan and Dongfeng is BIHS, where Luoshan has an advantage over Dongfeng. Additionally, the greater the distance between different brand equity groups, the larger the difference in their brand equity. The difference between the high and medium brand equity groups is relatively small, while the difference between the low brand equity group and the high and medium brand equity groups is more significant.

5. Conclusions and Implications

5.1. Conclusions

In a competitive tourism market environment, establishing strong brand equity is crucial for the sustainable development of organic agricultural tourism. Despite limited previous research on brand equity in organic agriculture, this study focuses on the impact relationships of brand equity within the sector. The findings reveal that the five key dimensions of brand equity (BLO, BAW, BPQ, BIHS, BACI) validate the multifaceted value of organic agricultural tourism in environmental protection, health benefits, and memorable travel experiences. These aspects are essential for building brand equity, enhancing competitive differentiation, and achieving sustainability.

The study employs multidimensional scaling (MDS) to analyze the structural dimensions of brand equity, achieving dimension reduction through perceptual maps. This approach provides high explanatory power, reliability, and discriminant validity, demonstrating the feasibility and academic innovation of MDS in brand equity analysis and offering valuable insights for future research.

Finally, the MDS analysis categorizes the brand equity of five organic agricultural tourism destinations into high-, medium-, and low-equity groups, revealing differentiated competitive relationships among them. This analysis confirms the competition dynamics and key factors influencing brand equity, offering practical guidance for future research, brand development, and competitive strategy formulation in organic agricultural tourism. The study thus holds significant academic and practical value.

5.2. Theoretical Implications

This study is theoretically innovative, offering new insights into brand equity analysis methods, the study of competitive relationships among tourism destinations, and the branding of organic agricultural tourism. It provides theoretical support and practical implications for related research and practices. The key implications are reflected in the following aspects:

• Innovative application of MDS in brand equity analysis: this study utilizes MDS to structurally analyze organic agricultural brand equity, demonstrating that MDS not only achieves a dimension reduction effect similar to traditional factor analysis but also provides a more intuitive representation of the magnitude and relative positioning of brand equity factors. Comparisons with confirmatory factor analysis reveal that MDS offers higher interpretative capability, reliability, and discriminant validity when interpreting brand equity factors. This finding introduces a new analytical tool for future brand research, highlighting the extensive application potential and theoretical innovation value of MDS in brand equity analysis.
• Revealing competitive relationships among tourism destination brands: the study uses MDS to analyze the perceptual maps of brand equity for organic agricultural tourism destinations, successfully distinguishing between high, medium, and low brand equity groups and revealing the competitive relationships among these destinations. The findings indicate that competition is intense among destinations within the same brand equity group, while the greater the distance between different brand equity groups, the larger the disparity in their brand equity. This analysis of competitive relationships provides a theoretical basis for destinations to develop differentiated marketing strategies, helping them understand their competitors and key competitive factors, thereby optimizing brand positioning and marketing strategies.
• Theoretical composition of organic agricultural tourism brand equity: the study further examines the five dimensions of brand equity in organic agricultural tourism, focusing on tourism loyalty, the recognition and quality of organic products, and the contribution of organic agriculture to environmental sustainability and health image. The findings indicate that organic agricultural tourism significantly enhances its brand equity by increasing environmental awareness, offering healthy organic products, and providing unique tourism experiences. These dimensions offer a comprehensive framework for understanding and evaluating the value and impact of organic agricultural tourism brands. By exploring the interrelationships among these dimensions, the study provides a systematic theoretical foundation for building brand equity.
• Addressing theoretical gaps in tourism destination competitive relationships: this study addresses the theoretical shortcomings in previous research on competitive relationships among tourism destinations. By applying MDS, the research not only reveals the competitive dynamics between organic agricultural tourism destinations but also identifies the key factors influencing these competitive relationships. This provides valuable theoretical and empirical insights for future research on tourism brands and destination marketing.

5.3. Practical Implications

This study provides important practical guidance for organic agricultural tourism. It emphasizes key practical approaches such as shaping the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism, destination management, visitor edutainment, and government certification in four areas. These insights are instrumental in boosting the brand value and market competitiveness of organic agricultural tourism destinations.

(1)

Co-creating organic agricultural tourism brand equity by travel operators and local communities:

A core element of brand equity is the emphasis on health and sustainability, creating meaningful experiential spaces for tourists and fostering a deeper connection and dependence on the environment through high levels of participation in local environmental activities [48]. Environmental sustainability and health value differentiate organic agricultural tourism from other types of tourism. It is recommended that travel operators integrate elements such as pristine natural ecosystems, agricultural knowledge and technology, rural lifestyle culture, and specialty foods [49,50] into the tourism experience. At the same time, the production and certification of organic agricultural products should be positioned as the core health value of the tourism experience [42].

For example, in the Luoshan region, organic agricultural activities are promoted, offering health-oriented and flavorful meals and inviting tourists to work alongside farmers in the fields, directly participating in rural production activities and experiencing the joy of engaging with both agriculture and nature. The Dongfeng region promotes a “One-Day Farmer” activity, where tourists can enjoy local produce in the fields and partake in zero-carbon-footprint organic Hakka cuisine while engaging in food and farming education, helping to promote healthy agricultural products. Through these activities, tourists can enjoy healthy food while contributing to the health of the land, achieving sustainable agricultural development. In the Chishang region, the Brown Boulevard, known for its blue skies, white clouds, vast rice fields, and magnificent mountain and ocean views, allows tourists to freely enjoy the pastoral scenery. The region also encourages visitors to learn about organic agricultural practices and lifestyle, integrating organic farming with food and farming education to promote a healthy living image. The Fengbin area combines organic agriculture, ecology, and tribal culture, offering organic agricultural cultural experiences and food and farming education activities, opening new opportunities for the sustainable development of tribal organic farming. In Guangfu, small tours allow visitors to experience the traditional wild vegetable culture and ecological knowledge of the Amis people, integrating local ingredients and culture into meals, promoting slow food lifestyles and food and farming education, and achieving the goals of environmental protection and sustainable development.

(2)

Differentiated landscape development by organic agricultural tourism destination management units:

From the perspective of perceived quality, the landscape of a destination serves as the fundamental basis for tourism development [27,28,51]. By designing captivating tourism experiences and offering visitors unique and memorable experiences, destinations can achieve marketing differentiation and attract more tourists [29].

For example, in the Luoshan area, the development of an organic village could be deepened by integrating the area’s organic agricultural resources to enhance tourism quality and create a leisure image. The Dongfeng area could leverage the stunning scenery of the Huadong Valley by adding ecological habitat protection facilities and incorporating diverse ethnic cultural resources. In Chishang, protecting the agricultural landscapes of Brown Boulevard, which stretch into the horizon, while showcasing the entire rice production process at a rice tourism factory could add appeal to the area. The Fengbin region could continue to preserve its coastal terraced fields and develop healthy organic agriculture, turning it into a new hotspot for recreational and ecological tourism. In Guangfu, the rich wetland resources of the Huadong Valley could be further developed, blending with local Indigenous rural industries and cultural landscapes to attract more visitors. These initiatives will help tourists gain a deeper understanding of environmental resources and recognize the importance of protecting natural resources [52], while also meeting their health-related tourism needs [53,54].

(3)

Tourist experience through edutainment:

Organic agricultural tourism engages visitors through a variety of experiential activities, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse values associated with organic agriculture. This, in turn, enhances their sense of identity with organic agricultural tourism and contributes to shaping its image. Relevant studies indicate that interactions between people, lifestyle, and the environment not only enrich the user experience but also increase their sense of participation. This fosters stronger connections between users and the products or services, ultimately encouraging purchasing behavior [32,33].

(4)

Government’s strict implementation of organic certification systems:

Certification of organic agriculture and its products is a key factor in brand equity. It is recommended that the government enhance the promotion and education of organic agriculture and product certification to improve consumer understanding of certification marks and related regulations. Additionally, the government should provide substantial technical support to organic producers to improve product quality and ensure tourists’ trust in organic agriculture and its products. Tourists are generally inclined to visit reliable and trustworthy destinations, which will help increase travel intentions [55,56].

6. Limitations and Future Suggestions

Firstly, this study focuses on organic agricultural tourism in the Hualien and Taitung regions of Taiwan. While the research offers valuable insights, the generalizability and extrapolability of the findings may be limited. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct similar studies in different regions (e.g., organic agricultural tourism destinations in other countries or areas) to test the generalizability and applicability of these results. Particularly in regions with different cultural and environmental conditions, the construction of brand equity and competitive relationships may vary.

Secondly, although this study uses MDS to analyze the structure and competitive relationships of brand equity factors, which is an effective method, it does have limitations. For example, MDS primarily focuses on the spatial relationships and relative positions of factors and may not fully reveal the complex interactions among them. Future research could consider using alternative methods or combining multiple methods to analyze the structure and impacts of brand equity factors. For instance, integrating structural equation modeling (SEM) or hierarchical regression analysis could provide a more comprehensive understanding.

Thirdly, this study primarily focused on the benefits and positive influencing factors of organic agricultural tourism but gave insufficient consideration to its potential drawbacks and challenges. This represents a limitation in the research theme and perspective. Future research is recommended to explore the potential issues and challenges of organic agricultural tourism from different angles to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Fourthly, although this study utilized a quantitative research approach, future research should consider incorporating qualitative methods to provide a deeper understanding of the phenomena. Qualitative research can reveal the underlying reasons behind complex social phenomena and human behaviors through detailed descriptions and explanations. Additionally, due to time and economic constraints, this study employed convenience sampling and collected samples within a relatively short timeframe, which may lead to sampling errors. Future research is advised to use more rigorous sampling methods, such as stratified or purposive sampling, and to extend the data collection period when feasible to improve the reliability and validity of the research findings.

Finally, while this study examines five dimensions of brand equity, it does not deeply explore the interrelationships among these dimensions. For example, the specific ways in which factors such as loyalty, awareness, and product quality influence each other are not fully clarified. Future research should further investigate the relationships between brand equity dimensions and explore the interactions and mechanisms between different dimensions to provide more in-depth theoretical support.