Primary Image as a Dimension of Destination Image: An Empirical Assessment

Abstract

Abstract In this study, Chon's (1989) proposition of primary image construction as a dimension of destination image was empirically assessed. It was shown that by using a qualitative research methodology, certain 'push' and 'pull' factors in relation to a destination's attractiveness could be identified and links between these factors established. Potential tourists could be placed on a continuum indicating a 'push' or 'pull' orientation when constructing primary images of destinations. It was also determined that, in the same tourist-generating country, these 'push' and 'pull' factors can differ substantially between various identified segments and that cultural context is an important determinant of these differences.