Destination advertisement semiotic signs: Analysing tourists' visual attention and perceived ad effectiveness

This study analyses the influence of destination photographs' communication type and destination country-brand logo and slogan used in ads on the tourists' visual attention and perceived ad effectiveness. It was conducted a multi-method experiment using eye-tracking to measure visual attention, and a questionnaire to analyse perceived ad effectiveness. This paper extends the institutional theory in tourism advertisement by indicating that destination photographs provided from induced communication have a more positive influence on tourists' perceived ad effectiveness than the combined communication. Furthermore, it is indicated that the destination country-brand logo and slogan contribute to obtaining higher tourists' visual attention to the entire advertisement. Tourism organisations should develop advertisements with induced communication and country-brand logo and slogan to obtain better tourists' responses.