Promoting Tourism Destination Image

Abstract

This article examines the role of tourism promotion as a component of destination image formation. It reports the findings of a study in which 1,100 respondents from around the globe described their previsit perceived image of seven sample destinations, as well as the information sources they used. The findings suggest that tourism promotion does not have a major impact upon the perceptions of travelers and that other sources of information have a much greater bearing on the formation of destination image. As a result, tourism authorities need to understand that successful tourism promotion is dependent on a broad range of external influences. At the same time, the impact of marketing communication decisions on measurables such as revenue, market share, and costs must be carefully assessed.