INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER PERCEPTIONS OF KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KLIA) BRANDING STRATEGIES: A SMART PARTIAL LEAST SQUARE APPROACH

This study investigates the international passenger perceptions of Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) branding strategies using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 212 international passengers at KLIA. The questionnaire is structured into two parts, i) respondent demographic profiles, and ii) perceptions on branding strategies. The first part collected data on the respondents' demographic profile, frequency of arrival or departure at KLIA, and the purpose of visiting Malaysia. The second part covers seven factors, such as choice of food and beverage outlets (CFBO), selection of retail outlets (SRO), retail pricing (RP), layout and design (LD), services and entertainment (SE), service staff (SS), and logos, slogans and wordmarks (LSW) at KLIA. The Smart Partial Least Square Version 3 was used for data analysis. The study reveals that choice of food and beverage outlets, layout and design, selection of retail outlets, retail pricing, and service staff are significant in the branding perception of KLIA. The findings have policy implications for KLIA's branding and offer support for the argument on the branding perception of the airport from a literature and practical point of view. The study's outcomes will support airport managers and scholars interested in airport branding strategies to promote a more diversified portfolio of customers, products/services, new investments, and companies, generate employment, and increase tourist flow to Malaysia as a whole. Furthermore, this research will contribute to the academic literature regarding the role of airports in tourism. The study's approach is inspired by Figuiredo and Castro's (2019) research on passenger perceptions of Tom Jobim International Airport RIOgaleão branding strategies and their experiences with branding strategies. The study is relevant as Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) allocated a considerable amount of money for expansion and marketing to enhance the ranking of Malaysia airports, especially KLIA. The study's results can be submitted to airport management to improve branding strategies and generate a wider revenue stream. Improving airport branding will translate into higher foreign spending in Malaysia, thereby promoting tourism growth.