Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca from 23 to 25 October 2013Celebrating and Enhancing the Tourism
Knowledge-based Platform: A Tribute to Jafar Jafari
  | Thursday 24 October, 2013 11:50 to 12:10 |  | Oral Communication |
Influence of the contents generated by travellers in the formation of the image of a tourist destination
Expose: Bel Llodrà, Fundació BIT, Coordinadora àrea cibersocietatAuthors: Bel Llodrà Riera, Maria Pilar Martinez Ruiz, Ana Isabel Jimenez ZarcoMés informació aquí.
In the new communication paradigm, brought about by the irruption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the formation of the image of a tourist destination can be affected by the contents generated by travellers themselves. In this study, we seek to analyse the weight of the different Web platforms in the formation of the image of a tourist destination and, especially, the Web 2.0 (e.g. social networks, forums, blogs, house swapping platforms, couch surfing platforms). To carry this out, various explanatory models are merged regarding the formation of the image of a tourist destination and the Web platform factor is added to the classical sources of information. This evolution of previous models seeks to explain the weight which not only the sources of information have but also the Web platforms used to gain information about the destination regarding the touristic image of a destination. Personal aspects are also taken into account such as socio-demography, the reasons for the trip and the satisfaction with the previous visit (should the person surveyed have visited the destination previously). With all these variables, we analyse the elements which influence the formation of the cognitive image, the unique image and the affective image and what weight these three images have on the global image of the destination. Finally, we seek to analyse the weight of the global image of the destination on intention to return, the first visit or recommendation of the tourist destination. To carry out the study, we have considered 182 variables related to the formation of the image of Mallorca as a tourist destination and the socio-demographic characteristics of the travellers and tourists. By means of a questionnaire distributed via Google Forms, a sample of 541 individuals was obtained of which 129 are from Mallorca, 186 from Spain (outside Mallorca) and 226 from the rest of the world. It is of interest to analyse whether there are differences between residents, non-residents, previous and first-time visitors and the influence which knowing residents may exercise on the formation of the image of the destination. To carry out this study exploratory factorial analysis techniques are applied for the reduction of components, confirmatory factorial analysis and a structural equations model (SEM). From these results, we propose different conclusions regarding how the evolution of the communication paradigm influences the components considered in the models with regard to the formation of the image of a tourist destination and what influence the contents generated by the travellers and the residents themselves exercise. The findings obtained not only enable us to draw important conclusions regarding how the contents generated by the travelers themselves, as well as by the residents, influence the formation of the image of the destination. They also make it possible to offer different recommendations of great use in the strategic management of the image of the destination on the part of administrations, organizations and institutions in both the public and private sphere.
