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Who got the control to represent a destination? - An Exploratory Research - Destination Image Formation as a Social Process: A Case Study of Greenland

Sönmez, Hande LU and Milioto, Davide (2024) SMMM40 20241
Department of Service Studies
Abstract
As the competition has escalated within the tourism industry, it has become more crucial for the destination marketing organizations to create a positive and outstanding image in tourists’ minds. Yet, the increasing popularity of user-generated contents, and social interactions between various agents on digital platforms have added a different dimension to the destination image formation.Therefore, this study aims to investigate the destination image formation as a social process which different agents participate in and contribute to. Furthermore, this study also examines how various social agents (e.g., destination marketing organization, Instagram users, and local people) engage in the destination image formation process through... (More)
As the competition has escalated within the tourism industry, it has become more crucial for the destination marketing organizations to create a positive and outstanding image in tourists’ minds. Yet, the increasing popularity of user-generated contents, and social interactions between various agents on digital platforms have added a different dimension to the destination image formation.Therefore, this study aims to investigate the destination image formation as a social process which different agents participate in and contribute to. Furthermore, this study also examines how various social agents (e.g., destination marketing organization, Instagram users, and local people) engage in the destination image formation process through co-constructive content creation on digital platforms. This research is conducted with the case study of Greenland due to the increasing demand towards remote destinations, and growing online visibility of Greenland. To investigate the social process of destination image formation, as the main focus of the area, the authors employ two methods: Qualitative Content Analysis & netnography. This thesis finds that online social interactions on social media platforms play a crucial role in destination image formation of Greenland. Both the content shared by the destination marketing organization (projected image) and social interactions between Instagram users (perceived image) are valuable factors that strongly contribute to the co-constructed nature of destination image formation. Understanding the social process of destination image formation via the case study of Greenland can inform strategies to enhance tourist experiences and promote online destination image effectively. (Less)
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author
Sönmez, Hande LU and Milioto, Davide
supervisor
organization
course
SMMM40 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Destination image, Greenland, remoteness, online interactions, social process, social media, content co-construction, destination image formation, authenticity, DMOs, user-generated contents, authentication.
language
English
additional info
List of abbreviations

DMO: Destination marketing organization
QCA: Qualitative content analysis
Digital Platforms: the DMO website and Instagram Page
eWOM: Electronic word of mouth
UGC: User generated content
id
9179260
date added to LUP
2025-01-08 10:02:45
date last changed
2025-01-08 10:02:45
@misc{9179260,
  abstract     = {{As the competition has escalated within the tourism industry, it has become more crucial for the destination marketing organizations to create a positive and outstanding image in tourists’ minds. Yet, the increasing popularity of user-generated contents, and social interactions between various agents on digital platforms have added a different dimension to the destination image formation.Therefore, this study aims to investigate the destination image formation as a social process which different agents participate in and contribute to. Furthermore, this study also examines how various social agents (e.g., destination marketing organization, Instagram users, and local people) engage in the destination image formation process through co-constructive content creation on digital platforms. This research is conducted with the case study of Greenland due to the increasing demand towards remote destinations, and growing online visibility of Greenland. To investigate the social process of destination image formation, as the main focus of the area, the authors employ two methods: Qualitative Content Analysis & netnography. This thesis finds that online social interactions on social media platforms play a crucial role in destination image formation of Greenland. Both the content shared by the destination marketing organization (projected image) and social interactions between Instagram users (perceived image) are valuable factors that strongly contribute to the co-constructed nature of destination image formation. Understanding the social process of destination image formation via the case study of Greenland can inform strategies to enhance tourist experiences and promote online destination image effectively.}},
  author       = {{Sönmez, Hande and Milioto, Davide}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Who got the control to represent a destination? - An Exploratory Research - Destination Image Formation as a Social Process: A Case Study of Greenland}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}