Paper Title
Measuring The Customer-Based Brand Equity of A Destination as A �Furniture Brand�*

Abstract
In today�s consumer-oriented markets, customer-based brand equity is essential for driving customer equity, differentiating brands, assessing brand performance and gaining competitive advantage. There are generally two frameworks conceptualizing customer-based brand equity that are those of Aaker (1996) and Keller (1993). Aaker views customer-based brand equity as a set of assets (liabilities) linked to a brand�s name and symbol that adds to (or subtracts from) the value provided by a product/service to the customer. Keller (1993) views customer-based brand equity as ��the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand.�� As brand equity positively associates with customer equity and brand success, customer-based brand equity receives significant attention from the academic and business community. Customer-based brand equity is also important for destination management, because destinations also compete and try to attract more consumers for touristic or non-touristic purposes. In spite of this, applications of the customer-based brand equity measures to destinations are limited. This paper will contribute to the literature being one of the rare studies in Turkey. The aim of this study is to explore the relationships among the dimensions of customer-based brand equity of a destination known as a leading furniture region in Turkey. Structural equation modeling is used to test the relationships among the dimensions that are destination brand awareness, destination brand image, destination brand quality, destination brand value and destination brand loyalty. Marketing strategies are proposed according to the modeling results. Data are collected from consumers living in different 12 cities that represents main population of Turkey. According to the research findings, it is obtained that all of the dimensions have positive impacts on destination brand value and destination brand loyalty which are vital dimensions in creating customer-based brand equity. Keywords - Customer-based Brand Equity, Destination Branding, Furniture Brand, Structural Equation Modeling, Turkey.