<![CDATA[This study is a quantitative study with a causal and associative approach that aims to analyze the influence of promotional messages and destination reality on tourist behavior, with cognitive dissonance as a mediating variable. The location of the study is at Pantai Alam Indah, Tegal City. The population was determined based on the average visit in the last three months of 41,607 people, with a sample of 156 respondents using the Slovin formula (margin of error 8%) and random sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using the SEM-PLS method through the SmartPLS application. The results showed that promotional messages did not have a significant effect on cognitive dissonance (t-statistic 0.464 <1.96; p-value 0.643> 0.05). In contrast, destination reality had a positive and significant effect on cognitive dissonance (t-statistic 30.660> 1.96; p-value 0.000 <0.05). Cognitive dissonance significantly affects tourist behavior (t-statistic 5.477 > 1.96; p-value 0.000 < 0.05). In addition, promotional messages (t-statistic 2.128; p-value 0.034) and destination reality (t-statistic 12.808; p-value 0.000) also have a positive and significant influence on tourist behavior. The indirect effect of promotional messages on tourist behavior through cognitive dissonance is not significant (t-statistic 0.456; p-value 0.649), while the indirect effect of destination reality through cognitive dissonance is significant (t-statistic 5.311; p-value 0.000).]]>
