Maria D. Alvarez

Country Versus Destination Image in a Developing Country

ABSTRACT In contrast to the country of origin studies in international marketing, the tourism literature fails to differentiate between the image of the country and that of the destination as a tourism product. The distinction is important for developing countries suffering from negative country perceptions, as opposed to more positive views regarding the tourism destination. Therefore, this research examines the difference between country and destination image in the context of Turkey, and proposes a scale to measure them. The study also provides evidence of this difference and suggests ways in which the destinations image may contribute to improve the countrys general perceptions.

Influence of politics and media in the perceptions of Turkey as a tourism destination.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to help to understand the influence of the media and political issues in the perceptions of Turkey as a tourism destination. The study is conducted from the perspective of Spanish people.Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on the responses provided to a web survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearsons correlations.Findings – The views of the Spanish people on the Turkish political situation were not found to be related to the perceptions of the destination, except for those regarding Turkeys candidacy to the European Union. However, an indirect relationship between the political views and the perceptions of the destination through the influence of the former on the image of the host community is proposed. Television and the written press are determined as the most significant information sources, other than word of mouth and experience.Research limitations/implications – The research points to the fact that political view...

Turkey as a heritage tourism destination: the role of knowledge.

The study aims to determine whether the knowledge and awareness related to the culture, history, and ancient civilizations of a destination might be instrumental in creating a more positive image for the place. The research is carried out in the context of Turkey, a country that has been affected in the past by its image as a cheap mass-tourism destination, and which is currently attempting to position itself as a heritage tourism destination. To increase the effectiveness of positioning efforts, destinations need to understand the factors that may help construct a more positive image of the place. The study also examines the sources of information used, and investigates which sources are related to a greater knowledge and more positive perceptions regarding the destination. Implications for the marketing and promotion of Turkey as a heritage tourism destination are derived.

Can tourism promotions influence a country's negative image? An experimental study on Israel's image

According to recent research, countries may have a positive image from a tourism perspective, but they may be seen as lacking from an economic or political viewpoint. As governments and destination management organisations spend large sums of money in promoting tourist attractions, the question of whether these activities also influence other aspects of a countrys image becomes relevant. The objective of the research is to determine the effect of tourism promotions on the image of the country and that of the destination as two separate concepts, in the case of Israel, a country subject to continuous conflicts. A 2 × 2 quasi-experimental design is utilised to investigate the influence of tourism promotional brochures. Additionally, a comparative perspective is used to determine whether people from diverse countries and backgrounds may be affected differently by the same information. The findings confirm that tourism brochures influence not only the image of the destination, but also that of the country. These effects are found to be different for respondents from the two different countries compared. The article focuses on understanding how tourism communication strategies may also be used to improve the image of a country, with potential benefits for international marketing and international relations.

Marketing of Turkey as a Tourism Destination

ABSTRACT Despite the wealth of resources that Turkey possesses, it is generally believed that this tourism destination has not reached its potential. Turkey is restricted by its international image, its centralization and the limited resources that are available for marketing and communication activities. Furthermore, in the past, Turkey has focused on 3S (sun, sea and sand) mass tourism, targeting lower income level tourists. As capacity has increased steadily in coastal areas, the bargaining power of tour operators has grown, bringing an increasing pressure for lower prices. The new strategies of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism aim at changing this focus and diversifying the tourism product of Turkey. Moreover, a conscious effort is made to attract higher income level groups. The purpose of this article is to provide a critical analysis of current marketing strategies of Turkey in tourism, within the theoretical background of the destination marketing literature.

Creative cities and cultural spaces: new perspectives for city tourism

Purpose – The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the special issue on creative cities and cultural spaces, as offering new perspectives for tourism.Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies some key concerns that cities currently face and introduces the articles in the special issue, remarking on the novel ideas and concepts provided in these papers.Findings – Creative tactics may provide an alternative to cultural regeneration strategies, and increase the capability of cities to distinguish themselves from other competing places.Originality/value – The paper identifies key concepts that are further discussed in the articles included in this special issue on “creative cities and cultural spaces: new perspectives for tourism”.

Sustainable Destination Development: Issues and Challenges

Since the Bruntland Report (World Commission on Environment and Development [WCED], 1987) introduced the concept of sustainability into the global political agenda, the idea of sustainable developm...

Do Perceptions Change? A Comparative Study

ABSTRACT For developing nations affected by negative stereotypes, the question of whether a change in perceptions can be achieved through the tourism experience is important. This research aims to determine whether the perceptions of foreign tourists regarding a country and its people change as a result of the cultural tourism experience. The study examines the discrepancy between pre-travel and post-travel perceptions, matching the responses for every respondent. These changes are investigated from the comparative perspective of two sets of foreign tourists representing geographically different markets. Qualitative methodology is also used to enrich interpretation. The results determine that the perceptions of tourists regarding the host country and its people may positively change after the cultural tourism experience, although this effect is observed to be different for both samples. Implications are discussed, focusing on the role of tourism as benefiting other areas of the country such as trade and international relations.

Istanbul as a world city: a cultural perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the process by which Istanbul is transforming into a world city, examining the impact of the recent growth of cultural activities in the city.Design/methodology/approach – The study focuses on the cultural and creative aspects of Istanbul, with reference to its history, multiculturalism and recent developments in the international cultural arena. Istanbul represents an interesting case to examine the development of a city to achieve world‐class status, despite its historical significance as a center of trade and culture in the ancient world, its current globalization and development are fairly recent.Findings – Developments in recent years from a cultural, as well as an economic perspective provide some indication that Istanbul is transforming into a world city. However, the ability of the city to influence international cultural circles is limited by the reduced demand for cultural products by residents. Nevertheless, Istanbuls multiculturalism, history ...

Heritage tourism destinations: preservation, communication and development.

The complex relationships between tourism and heritage are revealed in the tensions between tradition and modernity (Nuryanti, 1996). Heritage tourism has been studied by numerous scholars and practitioners over the past decades from different disciplines. In 21st century heritage destinations are in various forms and functions such as townscapes, rural village or traditional agricultural landscape, leisure landscape, historical trails and routs and have different roles to play for different stakeholders and provides opportunities for visiting individuals, who are privileged to breathe past, present and future at once.