Do the DMO and the Tourists Deliver the Similar Image? Research on Representation of the Health Destination Image Based on UGC and the Theory of Discourse Power: A Case Study of Bama, China

Even though destination image is an important expression of discovering the local landscapes and place significance, the construction and measurement of destination image neglect the place component. This research explores the image of health destinations, as well as its representation mechanism, combining the triadic structure of tourism image proposed by Marine-Roig et al. with the theory of discourse power put forward by Michel Foucault, taking Bama, Guangxi as a case. In addition, this paper uses the IPA matrix to visually unveil the pronounced gap between the projected image by Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and the perceived image of tourists and suggests strategies that DMOs should adopt in the different dimensions.

New Perspective of Networking in the DMO Model

Destination management organizations are functional structures that manage and market the tourist destinations operating to facilitate the cooperation among different stakeholders. A successful DMO supports tourism development, especially when tourism is an important economic driver for a destination. The idea of building different forms of DMOs and the concept of networking have guided tourism governance choices in different initiatives conducted in many countries. This chapter analyses the model of DMO adopted in Italy by Regione Toscana comparing it with the variable geometry approach by Beritelli et al. The study offers a critical reflection on the model of DMO, relevant from the perspectives of governance and management.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Tourism Sector in the Post-COVID-19 Period

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only a significant impact on public health but also severely affected the tourism sector, one of the drivers of the global economy. Although this situation crisis makes tourism highly vulnerable, the sector is also in a unique position to contribute to broader and just effective recovery plans and actions. This chapter considers the major significant impacts, behaviours, and experiences that four major tourism stakeholders are experiencing during the COVID-19 period. Research on (1) tourism demand, (2) tourism supply, (3) destination management organizations, and (4) policy makers will identify the main challenges and opportunities in tourism sector in the post-COVID-19 period.

Business Intelligence and the Public Management of Destinations: The View of DMOs

Business intelligence (BI) has become a priority for destination management organizations (DMOs) that have implemented solutions to improve their decision-making and data management processes. However, not all BI initiatives have fulfilled the expectations. This paper presents an analysis of a series of interviews with DMOs in Spain, offering a snapshot of their satisfaction with BI and the relationship between these applications and decision making at destinations. The results suggests that one of the reasons for failure is the lack of understanding of the critical factors that define the success of BI applications. Moreover, the findings offer a novel vision of how destinations are progressively leveraging the opportunities that advanced data analysis offers, but also reveal why managers find manifold difficulties in implementing these systems. These results pose several implications for DMOs.

Destination management in a post-covid environment

PurposeThis paper seeks to reflect on the impacts of the pandemic on the management of tourist destinations, discussing the role of destination-management organizations in the tourism development model, as well as the challenges that these organizations must address to ensure an effective construction of a more sustainable and competitive tourism.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on a literature review linking destination management with pandemic and post-pandemic responses.FindingsThe COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedent shock to the tourism industry's growth model since World War II, challenging tourism stakeholders (destinations and companies) with several threats and opportunities to their future competitiveness. In addition to the massive impacts in terms of business development, the abrupt reduction of tourism demand and the significative loss of jobs, the pandemic also caused significant disruption in terms of destination-management models. In less than four months, the focus of Governments and Destination Management Organizations shifted from defining development models compatible with improving the quality of life of residents due to the emergence of the so-called overtourism phenomenon, to the urgent need to support the industry's survival, to preserve jobs and ensure conditions of safety for tourists and workers.Originality/valueDemonstrates the need for a profound change in the paradigm of destination management so that the sector is prepared to face future shocks. It also proposes further discussion on the role of destination management in the recovery process of the tourism sector in global terms, given the challenges that these organizations face. The article also considers the ways in which destination management can be a fundamental tool in the process of building a more inclusive, sustainable and competitive future.

Themes Related to Islandness in Tourism Logos: Island versus Non-Island Tourism Destinations

Islands hold a special place in the hearts and minds of travelers. The depiction of islands as a paradise and the sense of idyllic fantasy that travellers invoke with respect to islands is, in essence, a rudimentary attempt to brand islands. Islands are celebrated as being distinct from non-islands in ways rooted in the place, and the pursuit to discover characteristics that distinguish islands from their non-island counterparts is the quest to understand islandness. It should be no surprise then if some island destination management organizations, responsible for the creation of engaging and compelling brand identities, integrate themes related to islandness in the brands they develop to promote island destinations. This paper examines the incorporation of islandness themes as part of the brands developed to promote tourism by comparing islands and non-islands destinations. The tourism logos used by 85 island- and 146 non-island destinations were reviewed to assess the degree to which the logos included themes related to islandness. Employing a modified Likert-scale, study findings show island themes are not used exclusively by islands, but instead are used to various degrees and in different ways by islands and non-islands alike. This suggests that many of the themes related to islandness are not unique to islands and apply in some cases to non-island destinations as well. In addition, the findings may be interpreted to mean that the investigation of logos as a proxy for understanding islandness in island tourism brand identities is insufficient and inadequate, and a more fulsome investigation into the various ways of expressing brand identity might provide greater insights.

The Role of the Destination Image in Creating Memorable Tourism Experience

This study aims to investigate the impact of destination image on memorable tourism experience (MTE). We also analyzed the effect of memorable tourism experience on revisit intention. Since there is a limited number of studies on the relationship between destination image and MTE, this study will contribute to the literature. Non-probability convenience sampling method was used to select the sample. The research was conducted with a total of 707 tourists who visited Antalya, Turkey. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using SPSS 20 and LISREL 8.7 package programs. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze the data in the study. Our results indicate that the dimensions of the destination image, namely natural attractions, cultural attractions, tourism infrastructure, and general infrastructure, significantly influence hedonism and local culture. However, dimensions of destination image partly affect novelty, involvement, meaningfulness, and knowledge. Regarding the second objective, the results revealed that MTE dimensions explained 21.9% of the variance in revisit intention. Since novelty is an important antecedent of MTE and revisits intention, novelty and initiatives related to the tourism sector should be constantly monitored. Destination management organizations could be contributed to the formation of MTE by increasing the activities such as festivals, competitions, exhibitions and encouraging tourists to participate in these activities. Other managerial implications are discussed based on the study results, and directions for future research are provided.

The challenges of presenting traditional music in gastronomic establishments – the case of Slovenian Istria

Purpose Through investigation and comparisons between tourists and restaurant managers regarding their understanding of traditional music and their attitudes, expectations and assigned importance to it, this paper aims to identify the most problematic aspects of the (non)inclusion of traditional music in restaurant settings in tourist destinations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a field survey of tourists and managers/owners of catering establishments in the four municipalities of Slovenian Istria. Findings The results show that tourists attach a relatively high importance to this element of cultural heritage and that it is not sufficiently included in the overall product of the destination and in the catering establishments. Differences in the understanding of traditional music between the two groups were also found. Research limitations/implications The research limitations are, namely, a relatively small sample of managers for the quantitative analysis, the particular nature of the chosen destination which does not allow generalization of the results and finally, the study was conducted in the high season when the structure of tourists is significantly different compared to that in the mid and low season. Practical implications The findings bring some useful insights into tourists’ expectations and understanding of traditional music as part of the tourism experience for catering establishments’ managers and destination management organizations. By addressing the identified gaps, they can enrich the overall tourism product of the destination, while catering operators can achieve better business results. Social implications The more frequent and cogent inclusion of traditional music in the hospitality sector would provide a new social function and raison d'être for this segment of cultural heritage, which is in danger of being forgotten in many tourist destinations. Originality/value This research addresses a widely overlooked area of two interrelated fields of research, namely, hospitality and cultural heritage. Unlike the majority of previous research on this topic, which only involves actual guests, the present research is designed as a comprehensive investigation and comparison of the attitudes of the general population of actual tourists in the destination (as potential guests of the inns/restaurants) and managers of catering businesses operating in the destination.

The construction of the affinity-seeking strategies of Airbnb homestay hosts

Purpose This study aims to explore the dimensions and sub-factors of Airbnb hosts’ affinity-seeking strategies. It also aims to build a conceptual framework of hosts’ affinity-seeking strategies and their impact on Airbnb guests’ feelings of affection toward their host and/or the homestay and their behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach Based on 150,161 Inside Airbnb online reviews in three major US cities, this study uses semantic analysis to explore processes through which hosts’ affinity-seeking strategies are constructed. Findings A conceptual framework is proposed to identify two dimensions (warmth and competency) and their sub-factors (“presenting friendly attitudes,” “showing personality traits,” “providing service and help” and “promoting social interaction and sharing”) of Airbnb homestay hosts’ affinity-seeking strategies. The framework shows a positive relationship between these strategies and guests’ affection and behavior in response. Practical implications The research findings provide valuable insights to hosts for improving their affinity and strengthening their competitive advantages. They also offer guidance to destination management organizations on how to build a positive destination image. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to conceptualize Airbnb homestay hosts’ affinity-seeking strategies. It contributes to the literature by incorporating social cognition theory and service theory in the analysis of these strategies.

Who killed food tourism? Unaware cannibalism in online conversations about traveling in Italy

PurposeA food tourism destination can fully exploit its competitiveness if food-related attributes are consistently highlighted both in its promotion and in user-generated content. However, in the context of food tourism research, a possible image incongruence has not yet been studied. Tourism destination image incongruence occurs when different travel information sources reflect inconsistent representations of a destination's attributes. This study addresses this gap, focusing on Italian food and wine as drivers to attract visitors. This study examines whether food-related attributes are present in online travel-related conversations and are perceived differently by people with and without knowledge about the destination.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis based on a Bayesian machine-learning technique utilizing Leximancer software was applied to analyze questions and answers posted on TripAdvisor forums by potential and past visitors of four destinations in Italy (Naples, Florence, Parma and Ferrara). Questions and answers expressed by people with different knowledge in Italian and English were analyzed separately to gain deeper understanding.FindingsContrary to expectations, food-related themes were almost completely absent in the conversations analyzed, with only a few exceptions in Italian question sections. This situation depicts a sort of “cannibalism”, in the sense that the centrality of food-related attributes is engulfed by other, less sensorial, enjoyable and memorable aspects of the travel experience.Research limitations/implicationsAnalysis suggests that hype may exist in food tourism promotion related to destination image incongruence. However, while based on a large volume of conversations, the analysis covers only four Italian cities.Practical implicationsDestination management organizations (DMOs) should develop their strategy and communication considering internal and external elements: their marketing targets on one side and the local culture and attractions' perceptions on the other. Standard marketing processes (segmenting, targeting, positioning) and theories should be put in place. The application of standard marketing dynamics and studies should push the DMOs to understand that the internally perceived cultural values of the touristic destinations could not be known or joint univocally by the global external customers and that a local promotional activity should start with branding and not commercial activities.Originality/valueThis is the first study to suggest the existence of hype in food tourism promotion of Italian destinations and to provide evidence supporting this argument.