The new role of tourists in destination image formation |
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Authors: | Raquel Camprubí Jaume Guia Jordi Comas |
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Institution: | 1. Faculty of Tourism , University of Girona , Girona , Spain raquel.camprubi@udg.edu;3. Faculty of Tourism , University of Girona , Girona , Spain |
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Abstract: | The birth of Web 2.0 tools has created a new paradigm for word-of-mouth communication. Bearing in mind the relevance of tourists as agents in destination image-formation processes, this research discusses the new role they play in this paradigm, and how it affects and modifies the seminal typology of image-formation agents originally proposed by Gartner 1994. Image formation process. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 2(2), 191–216. doi: 10.1300/J073v02n02_12]. The results focus on the effects of Web 2.0 tools on the credibility, market penetration and costs for the destination of tourists' actions as image-formation agents. Implications for destination marketing organisations are also considered and discussed. |
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Keywords: | tourism image image-formation process Web 2 0 word-of-mouth information and communications technologies |
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