The Role of Social Media in Shaping Brand Equity for Historical Tourism Destinations

In the post-pandemic era, tourism is recovering and historical and cultural scenic spots are highly favored but face serious homogenization and fierce competition. It is clear to both the industry and in academia that brand image building through social media is the key to relieving the situation; however, existing studies are mostly undertaken from the perspective of branding, often ignoring the use of brand equity theory in evaluating the brand image of such scenic spots. Based on the social media perspective, this study proposes and validates a set of brand image assessment frameworks for historical and cultural scenic spots centered on brand awareness, satisfaction, and reputation, which provides a scientific basis for scenic spot branding. The study constructs a multidimensional index system, utilizes the fuzzy optimal inferiority method and the TOPSIS hybrid evaluation model, and takes six historical and cultural scenic spots in Xi’an, China, as samples for quantitative and qualitative evaluation. By analyzing the rankings of these scenic spots, this study provides suggestions on how to publicize and shape brand images on social media platforms. These suggestions can enhance scenic spots’ competitiveness, leading to increased tourist flow, improved economic benefits, and enhanced cultural preservation efforts. This, in turn, contributes to the long-term, sustainable development of historical tourism destinations, addressing socio-economic and cultural challenges in a more targeted manner.