Virtual destination image a new measurement approach

This study utilized enabling internet and computerized content analysis technologies to measure destination image from a phenomenographic post-positivist perspective. In an online survey, respondents were asked to describe their image of one of seven case study destinations that they had never visited before, in a narrative format. The large amount of qualitative data was content analyzed using artificial neural network software. The results produce a vivid three-dimensional picture of the differences and commonalities among the images of selected destinations. It is concluded that an interactive narrative approach presents an alternative measurement technique that can contribute significantly to future image research.     

Examining destination images from travel blogs: a big data analytical approach using latent Dirichlet allocation

ABSTRACT

In the big data era, destination images have played an increasingly important role in tourism development. However, seldom tourism research has utilised big data analytics to examine destination images from travel blogs. Therefore, this study proposes and evaluates a big data analytical approach using latent Dirichlet allocation to extract attributes of online destination images from 140,286 travel blogs about 20 cities in China. Results reveal 14 dimensions with 54 attributes of destination images of the studied cities. Interesting findings are discovered between online destination images and tourism cities. This study also summarises the implications for tourism research and practice.     

旅游地社会责任、声誉、认同与旅游者忠诚关系

文章构建了旅游地社会责任、旅游地声誉、旅游地认同与旅游者忠诚关系的整合模型,以厦门市旅游者为研究对象,采用结构方程模型( SEM)方法,对整合模型进行实证检验,发现:(1)旅游者社会责任直接正向影响旅游地声誉和旅游地认同,并通过旅游地声誉对旅游地认同产生间接影响,通过旅游地声誉和旅游地认同对重游倾向和口碑宣传产生间接影响；(2)旅游地声誉正向影响旅游地认同、重游倾向和口碑宣传,并通过旅游地认同对口碑宣传产生间接影响；(3)旅游地认同直接影响口碑宣传；(4)重游倾向和口碑宣传之间存在递进关系.最后,文章对研究结论进行了讨论,并指出了研究局限和未来研究方向.     

Shopping destination competitiveness: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT

As shopping becomes ever more important to tourists, this interest increasingly drives their destination choices. That is, shopping tourists tend to consider destinations to be more attractive and competitive if they offer key shopping resources. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate a measurement scale for shopping destination competitiveness, which can provide an identification of shopping- and destination-specific attributes and dimensions. In theoretical terms, this study contributes to the literature by integrating a model of destination competitiveness with a servicescape model and with the current Globe Shopping Index, to investigate shopping destinations at a macro-level. Five hundred and twenty-three usable samples were obtained for data analysis. The findings suggest that shopping destination competitiveness has nine key dimensions: shopping atmosphere, merchandise, store service orientation, affordability, Korean pop culture, safety climate, accessibility, government promotion, and attractiveness.     

Roles of Films and Television Dramas in International Tourism: The Case of Japanese Tourists to the UK

It is believed that films and television dramas that are not directly concerned with tourism promotion have become a catalyst for tourism as publicity and promotional media for attracting tourists. This paper considers what roles films and television dramas play in influencing overseas tourists' behaviors in terms of their travel destination selection. The results from the survey of Japanese tourists to the UK gave evidence of a wide range of roles of films and television drams as different stages in respondents' destination choice processes. This paper concludes that films and television dramas have an ability to create destination awareness, consciousness, and images leading to a stronger interest in the destination and actual travel to the destination.     

A model of destination image formation

Image has been shown to be an important influence in the selection of vacation destinations. A model that represents the important determinants of destination image formation was developed based on previous studies in a number of fields. The research reported in this article presents the results of an empirical test of the model using path analysis. A major finding of the study was that a destination image is formed by both stimulus factors and tourists' characteristics. The results of this investigation provide important implications for strategic image management and can aid in designing and implementing marketing programs for creating and enhancing tourism destination images.     

Tourism Brochures: Usefulness and Image

Tourist information has been shown to have an important influence on the choice of vacation destinations. This article studies brochures, their significance as image generators, and their influence on the selection of destinations. The study sought to discover which features in this medium are more relevant in image generation and destination choice using logistic regression analysis. The analysis is based on data collected from tourists in Madrid, Spain. The results establish a model of usefulness of brochures in order to propose recommendations for their design and content. Implications pertain to the development of theoretical understandings about the influence of the information sources on destination image, destination choice, and satisfying tourist needs.     

Validating the international tourist role scale

This study was designed to validate the international tourist role scale and the three dimensions it revealed. The purpose of this attitudinal scale was to measure the tourist role typology. United States adult outbound tourists flying with 11 major airlines returned useful questionnaires. This study validated the role scale as a reliable one that properly identified three conceptual dimensions of international tourist typology and successfully provided measures of tourists’ novelty-seeking preferences on the three dimensions. The study demonstrated, however, that the scale would measure the novelty-seeking preferences of international tourists more effectively if it were supplemented by other measures.     

旅游地属性与旅游者感知态度和购后行为的关系——以九寨沟风景区为例

识别旅游地的属性对于旅游地形象、满意度以及旅游者的重游意愿和推荐意愿的效用是非常重要的.本文以九寨沟风景区为案例,采用因子分析和回归分析等方法,研究发现:①九寨沟风景区地方属性可以分为资源价值和人文环境氛围、接待服务、自然旅游资源和环境3个维度.②不是九寨沟所有的地方属性都对其形象的形成、满意度、重游意愿和推荐意愿有显著作用,在18个属性中只有11个属性与旅游者的感知态度和购后行为有关.可以构建旅游地属性与旅游者的感知和态度关系的结构模型.③九寨沟风景区地方属性的效用和感知质量的高低是不完全耦合关系.研究可以为旅游地的旅游开发与管理提供建议,有助于旅游地采取针对性的改善措施与市场营销策略.     

Destination images,holistic images and personal normative beliefs: Predictors of intention to revisit a destination

This research examines the complex relationship between destination image components and behavioral intentions, incorporating two pivotal but unexplored in related literature constructs, namely holistic image and personal normative beliefs (PNBs). Previous studies incorporating destination images as predictors of intention to revisit have mostly investigated their direct effect. This research integrates holistic image as a mediator and PNBs as a moderator. The findings verify the mediating role of holistic image for predicting tourists' intention to revisit a destination, supporting a partial and a full mediation. Interestingly, only affective and conative images contribute to the prediction of tourists' intention to revisit a destination through the holistic image towards this destination. Moreover, PNBs moderate the effect that conative destination images have on tourists' holistic image. Practically, the research highlights factors that affect tourists' tendency to select a tourism destination, which can serve as a basis for tailoring the effective positioning of destinations.     

The Symbolic Role of Postcards in Representing a Destination Image: The Case of Alanya,Turkey

The study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the role of postcards in representing a destination image as evidence for their travel. A total of 15 postcard racks in Alanya, Turkey were sampled in a variety of sales outlets, using an observation and content photography techniques. The postcards were sorted into four groups according to their levels of authenticity and contextual representation of the tourist's experience at the destination. The analysis yielded a conceptual framework of four types of postcards: realistic, refurbished reality, misleading, and fantasy. The study concluded that only a small proportion of the postcards represented authentic and true images of Alanya, while the majority of the postcards provided ambiguous, unclear, and confusing images of the destination. Recommendations for developing more realistic images to be featured on postcards are discussed.     

旅游目的地映象研究述评

旅游目的地映象概念自亨特1971年提出后,引起了学术界的广泛关注,并成为国外旅游学研究的热点问题之一.本文通过对国外有关旅游目的地映象研究文献的分析,从旅游目的地映象的内涵、目的地映象的形成、目的地映象研究的意义、测量与评估等方面进行了综述与评述.最后指出,国内旅游目的地形象设计研究较多,但至今国内旅游目的地映象研究成果有限,有待学者们进一步的探索.     

Online destination image: Comparing national tourism organisation's and tourists' perspectives

This study examines the perceived and projected online destination images (DI) manifested in tourist-generated content (TGC) and national tourism organisation (NTO) generated content. Through visual content analysis and mise en scène analysis of photographic data as well as content analysis and perceptual mapping analysis of textual data, the differences between perceived and projected online DI of Eastern Taiwan were explored. TGC and NTO contents were both found to have similarly represented Eastern Taiwan as a destination abounds with “natural environment”, “infrastructure”, “specific activities”, and “tourist attractions”. However, several important DI dimensions were under-represented in the NTO content, for example, “food and beverages”, “transportation”, “information” and “accommodation”. The findings further reveal that the TGC textual content tended to outperform NTO textual content in reflecting affective DI; and photographic content, in general, was more effective in conveying affective attributes. The findings provide useful insights for practice and future research in DI management.     

Destination Visual Image and Expectation of Experiences

A unique experience is the essence of tourism sought by tourists. The most effective way to communicate the notion of a tourism experience at a destination is to provide visual cues that stimulate the imagination and connect with potential tourists in a personal way. This study aims at understanding how a visual image is relevant to the expectation of experiences by deconstructing images of a destination and interpreting visitors' perceptions of these images and the experiences associated with them. The results suggest that tourists with different understandings of desirable experiences found different contents and notions of images inspired them to visit a destination. Several managerial implications are discussed.     

Toward a critical analysis of tourism representations

This paper advances a “critical analysis of tourism representations” through examination of photographic postcards of African Americans from the South during the period 1893 to 1917. Analysis of these photographic images reveals that specific iconographic strategies were employed by postcard photographers to culturally inscribe black bodies with “Otherness”. Analysis of the postcard senders' messages reveals that these texts were often interpreted by tourists as interchangeable images of the mythic Old South or as attempts at humor. These images positioned black subjects in a racist regime of representation that constructed subjectivities for those depicted and identities for their viewers.     

Effects of hotel website photograph size and human images on perceived transportation and behavioral intentions

Travelers have been shown to use the Internet as their primary source of information for locating and booking hotel accommodation, while various website dimensions have been known to influence consumer behavior. Yet, there is no consistency in the way that hotels display their website photographs, especially in relation to photograph size and content, and few studies have investigated this important domain. This study examines the influence of hotel websites’ pictorial information (i.e., photograph sizes and human images) on perceived transportation, booking intentions and willingness to pay more. Analyzing 247 responses with structural equation modeling, large photographs increase transportation, which, in turn, increases booking intention and willingness to pay more. Large photographs are most effective when human presence is absent, while the effect of small photographs is improved with human presence. This study extends transportation theory by demonstrating that transportation can occur in non-narrative scenarios, specifically through photographic images.     

Luxury shopping abroad: What do Chinese tourists look for?

Considering rapid economic development, rising household income, and the emergence of middle-class consumers in mainland China, a growing number of Chinese consumers are traveling to other countries and regions for tourism and shopping. Studies have shown that Chinese customers often express intentions to engage in luxury shopping, driven by factors such as brand consciousness, social comparison, and innovative fashion (Zhang & Kim, 2013). Although the trend of Chinese outbound tourism aimed at luxury shopping continues to expand, little is known about Chinese luxury shoppers' behavior when abroad. This study attempts to investigate Chinese luxury shoppers' preferences in shopping destinations, relevant attributes of preferred luxury shopping destinations, and potential underlying dimensions among identified attributes. Results revealed an attribute list comprising 3 dimensions (human touch, prestige, and good value) and 17 items. These findings reflect Chinese luxury shoppers' concerns and preferences about shopping overseas. Implications and future research directions are also discussed.     

Destination brand experience and visitor behavior: the mediating role of destination brand identification

ABSTRACT

Destination branding has emerged as a critical tool for achieving competitive advantage through various conceptualizations, focusing on various aspects of branding. This research examines the role of destination brand experience (DBE), a new conceptualization, in assessing the holistic and unified view of tourism destinations. The conceptual model proposed in this research has been validated using structural equation modeling, based on the primary responses collected from 312 and 262 foreign visitors for study 1 and study 2 respectively, conducted at two different tourism destinations in India. Findings of both the studies suggest that various dimensions of DBE have a varied influence on destination brand identification (DBI), which subsequently affects both tourists’ trust and loyalty toward tourism destinations. In addition, DBI emerges as an important mediator for the relationship between DBE and destination trust (DT) as well as DBE and destination loyalty (DL). The study provides several implications for destination marketers about building trust and loyalty among tourists using DBE and DBI.     

Wine Tourists’ Destination Region Brand Image Perception and Antecedents: Conceptualization of a Winescape Framework

This study conceptualizes the winescape framework using a wine region's image as perceived by wine tourists, in the process integrating grounded theory, namely servicescape, destination choice, and place-based marketing theories. Using an a priori approach, it identifies the winescape construct in a framework of eight dimensions within the wine tourism environment in a study with 996 respondents in a well-known Canadian wine region. The most important dimension of the winescape is the region's natural beauty/setting (landscape). Other high impact characteristics are the service staff and friendly local people, overall ambience and the diversity of wine estates. The dynamic of first-time and repeat visitation plays a key role in visitors’ wine tourism behavior and their perception of the winescape. The decision to engage in wine tourism is generally impulsive, even spurious, and the motivations guiding the visitors’ behavior predominantly hedonic in nature.     

Temporal manifestations of nostalgia: Le Tour de France

Nostalgia in sport tourism is increasingly understood as multifaceted. Early conceptualizations of nostalgia may be inadequate in explaining contemporary sport tourism. Utilising an organized tour of the 2011 Tour de France, a hybrid experience combining active cycling with passive spectating, interviews were conducted with 13 tour participants and two tour guides. A grounded theory model reflecting multiple dimensions of nostalgia across three trip phases is proposed. Pre-trip, nostalgia inspired participation. During the trip participants viewed and acted upon desires to engage with preconceived nostalgic images by cycling iconic mountains. Mementos and experiences were collected to facilitate future memories and aid nostalgic recollections post-trip. The study demonstrates how sport tourists adopt multiple, reflexive roles to enrich nostalgic value throughout a trip.