This essay will discuss how film and television may contribute to the development of a destination image.
Tourists possess images of potential destinations that reflect their perceptions of its characteristics. Travel decisions are made when positive destination images and developed mental images of potential travellers are matched. This essay will discuss how film and television may contribute to the development of a destination image. The question requests that the topic be discussed, therefore the impact film and television has had on the tourism industry will be examined and analysed carefully. The concept of destination image will be examined and justified using two examples from film and television. The outcome of these justifications will be concluded at the end of this essay.
Tourism requires particular consideration before purchasing as, unlike other products, it cannot be tried before buying. Image therefore plays a significant role in the destination selection process. Stringer (1984) concluded that images are a "crucial basis of choice and decision making in tourism". Image can be referred to as the sum of beliefs, ideas and impressions that people have of a place or destination (Crompton, 1979; Baloglu and Brinburg, 1997). Consequently, destination image can be considered as “The attitude, perception, beliefs and ideas one holds about a particular geographic area in the world” (Gartner, 2001: 296). “Destination image is an evaluation based on perceptions” (Hall 2003 : 105) but on the other hand, a destination image can be viewed as the mental picture promoters are trying to instill within a target audience (Gartner, 2000:295-296). Destination image can either be created visually or mentally, as a symbolic representation of a place, but both have only one task – to create a positive image to get potential tourists to consume.
The importance of image formation is especially relevant to tourist development because a tourist’s image is generally very resistant to change once it has been formed (Gunn, 1972). From a review of destination image studies, Gunn (1972) conceptualised image formation into two different elements: organic, which refers to tourists’ impression of a destination without physically visiting the place, and induced image, which is formed from actual visitation. Not included by Gunn was the real aspect of image formation, which is created through physically visiting a destination and naturally influencing a tourist’s perception of the destination. Fakeye and Crompton (1991) expanded these aspects into three elements: (1) organic, (2) induced and (3) complex. The first element, the organic image, is established on an awareness of a destination. An induced image is formed from a conscious effort of marketers to develop, promote and advertise their destinations. The complex, or real, stage is developed when an individual travels to their destination and physically explores the place resulting in the formation of their own personal opinion. “At all stages in the selection process, touristic images help determine which destinations remain for further evaluation and which are eliminated from further consideration” (Gartner, 1993 : 209). Gartner in 1993 introduced an image formation process. He realised that a destination selection process began with a total opportunity set. Stemming from this starting point from informational and perceptual constraints came a perceived opportunity set and from institutional and access constraints on supply of holidays came an attainable opportunity set. These perceived and attainable opportunities gave a realised opportunity set. Socially constrained preferences and internal constraints extended to a consideration set of destinations of awareness-feasibility. A set of reasonable alternatives in a choice set came from situational and institutional constraints such as timing. Priority screening of holiday attributes led to a decision set as being the overall best alternatives to purchase. Finally, a trade-off evaluation of holiday attributes indicated a holiday choice, with the best overall balance of favoured attributes.
