Residents' destination image: a perspective article

Much attention has been paid to the understanding of tourists’ destination image, while local residents’ perception of their place as a tourist destination (residents’ destination image) has received relatively little academic attention. The need to expand our knowledge and understanding of residents’ destination image in the future is unquestionable. This perspective article briefly presents the first era of research on this field, critiquing its predominantly descriptive nature. Areas that seek further attention along with directions for future research have been highlighted including the need for rigorous theoretical foundations; design of global measurement instruments; wider application of qualitative and quantitative tools; along with a better understanding of the diverse role of residents in the digital context

Place attachment, perception of place and residents' support for tourism development

Although place attachment is a critical factor shaping residents' attitudes toward tourism development, the relationship between the perceived qualities of a place (place image) and attachment to it has been under-explored within the context of tourism. This study proposes a model which integrates both place attachment and perception of place and examines their effect on the perceived tourism impacts and on residents' support for tourism development. Findings suggest that (a) place attachment precedes perception of place; (b) perception of place positively affects perceived impacts; (c) perception of impacts positively affects support for tourism development. The study extends prior work on tourism development by incorporating both emotional and physical evaluations of a place when modelling residents’ attitudes toward tourism. The study also offers practical implications that are particularly important for the formation of sustainable tourism development programs

Residents' place image: a cluster analysis and its links to place attachment and support for tourism

While there is a plethora of studies segmenting the lucrative tourism market, limited attention has been given to identifying potential segments of local residents based on their image of the place they live in as a tourist destination. This study aims to address this gap by a) clustering local residents of a tourist destination based on their images of that place; and b) identifying whether those image-based resident groups share similar/different levels of place attachment and intentions toward tourism (support for tourism, intention to recommend it to others). Analysis was based on a sample of 368 residents of Eilat, Israel. The findings suggest the presence of three resident groups with different images of Eilat - called Nature Aesthete, Appreciator, and Critical - and provide support that these groups exhibit dissimilar levels of attachment and intentions/behavior toward tourism. The Appreciator (residents with the most favorable image) were reported exhibiting higher levels of place attachment, support for tourism and were more likely to recommend their place to others as a tourist destination than the Critical (residents with the least favorable image). The implications of these findings to tourism theory and practice are discussed

The role of place image dimensions in residents' support for tourism development

Understanding residents' perceptions of tourism impacts and their level of support for its development is considered vital for the sustainable development of tourism. Despite the plethora of factors examined as determinants of residents' attitudes toward tourism, the role of residents' place image has been under-examined. This study developed a model examining the relationships between residents' place image dimensions, perceived tourism impacts and support for development. Findings suggest that two (physical appearance, social environment) out of the four place image dimensions identified in this study exercise a significant effect on residents' attitudes toward tourism. The theoretical and practical implications to the formation of planning and development programs for tourism are discussed

Residents' place image: place to live versus tourist destination

Despite growing attention given to the notion of place, research focusing on the resident perspective is still fragmented, with some studies exploring the image of a place as a place to live in (city image) and others as a tourist destination. Aiming to bridge existing streams of research, this study explores the capacity of established image dimensions to predict residents’ image of their place as a) a place to live in; b) a tourist destination. Data were collected from a sample of 368 Eilat residents, Israel. Findings suggest that the social, natural environment and accessibility were the most important antecedents of residents’ city image; while social environment, amenities and attractions were the most important determinants of residents’ destination image. The findings advance knowledge on place image conceptualization, offering practical insights for developing a place both as a place to live in and as a tourist destination

Exploring resident-tourist interaction and its impact on tourists’ destination image

Although previous research has widely acknowledged the critical role residents play in tourism, limited evidence exists on the impact their interactions with tourists have on tourists’ own image formulation and intention to return/recommend the destination to others. Grounded in the mere exposure and contact theories, this research offers insights into tourists’ destination image formation in light of their interactions with local residents and tourism employees at a destination. Two independent studies were conducted in 2019 to establish the soundness of the model; a preliminary one in the city of Kavala (n = 353) and a follow up study on the island of Thasos (n = 397), both located in Greece. Findings suggest that interaction between the two parties positively affect cognitive, affective and conative image, predicting 64% (study 1) and 54% (study 2) of the latter’s variance. Implications to theory and practice along with recommendations for future research are provided

Using destination image and place attachment to explore support for tourism development: the case of tourism versus non-tourism employees in EILAT

Apart from the economic motive, little attention has been given to factors such as destination image and place attachment in explaining how potential differences in intentional behavior (support for tourism, intention to recommend) develop between tourism employees and non-tourism employees in a community. This study, conducted in the remote resort of Eilat, explores whether these resident groups’ representations of and attachment to their place shape their intentional behavior towards tourism; and tests the explanatory ability of the two factors to account for potential differences in groups’ intentional behavior. Findings suggest that the relationships between: a) place attachment and destination image; b) place attachment and intention to recommend; and c) between destination image and intention to recommend, vary across the two groups. The study contributes to tourism theory by empirically validating the role of image and attachment as antecedent of such differentiation. Additional implications to tourism theory and practice are discussed

International and domestic tourists' "a priori" and "in situ" image differences and the impact of direct destination experience on destination image: the case of Linz, Austria

A profound understanding of destination image and its determinants is of significance for destinations aiming to effectively position themselves in the tourism market. However, existing research on destination image formation has mainly focused on the “a priori” and “a posteriori” stages and paid only limited attention to the “in situ” stage. To fill in this gap, this study examines the effect direct destination experience and visitors’ nationality (domestic vs. international), have on both “pre-travel” and “in-situ” cognitive and affective elements of image. The study was conducted using 400 international and domestic visitors to Linz, Austria. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in the way domestic and international tourists perceive Linz as a tourist destination both prior and during the actual experience. The study also provides empirical evidence that direct destination experience plays a major role in destination image formation, irrespectively of individual’s nationality. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed

Characteristics of destination image: visitors and non-visitors' images of London

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the characteristics (i.e., complex, specific) of destination image as perceived by visitors and non-visitors to a tourist place. Design/methodology/approach: Overall, 42 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Czech and Greek visitors and non-visitors to London, UK. From the 21 interviews in each country, 11 conducted with visitors and 10 were with non-visitors to London. Findings: A number of characteristics of the image of London were identified that differed across visitors and non-visitors, irrespective of respondents’ nationality, including specificity and complexity of image. Research limitations/implications: The characteristics of image of different types of destinations (i.e., rural, seaside resorts) need to be assessed in the future, as this study focused on a well-known urban destination. Practical implications: The study provides support for effective and innovative solutions to place marketing and branding of tourist destinations. For example, greater complexity and more specific images should be used to attract the repeating visitors market. Originality/value: The paper’s originality lies in providing a better understanding of the characteristics of destination image, as perceived by visitors and non-visitors to a tourist place

Exploring how perceived tourism impacts evolve over time (2009-2019) in an era of uncertainty: economic crisis, host-guest interactions, and Airbnb

Cross sectional studies focusing on a single setting are typically not sufficient in explaining how/why residents arrive at certain perceptions of impacts and attitudes towards tourism. This study aims to explore how the impacts of tourism are perceived by local residents over time (2009 - 2019), potentially shaped by the transient global and local contexts (economic crisis, Airbnb expansion); and frequency of exposure to tourists, explained via the Mere Exposure Theory (MET). MET suggests that repeated exposure to a stimulus or people, is a condition for the enhancement of the attitude towards it. Targeting Kavala residents in Greece, survey data were collected in three different points in time (2009, 2011, 2019), coupled with 21 in-depth interviews with local residents conducted in 2019. Results revealed that residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts are dynamic and fluid, greatly affected by the macro and micro economic environment; the rapid expansion of Airbnb in residents’ living areas; and the subsequent increasing interaction with tourists. Implications for theory and practice along with limitations and future research directions are also discussed