Although a destination image has been considered an important concept to destination marketers and researchers, a lack of consensus remains amongst researchers as to what the concept really is. Contemporary studies attempt to examine a destination image formation model to establish the theoretical basis for destination image. They conclude that destination image structurally is interrelated. Information sources and motivations are adopted as antecedents to destination image. In addition, the concept of telepresence is recognised as an important variable determined by media typology. Even if it is generally accepted that telepresence mediates information to attitudes and behavioural intention, f~w destination image studies include telepresence as a part of image formation models. Since the adoption ofInformation Technology (IT) to tourism as both communication and distribution channel tools, the importance of conceptualising and developing a destination image virtualised by DMOs' Websites become all the more obvious. Moreover, few studies . have applied the defmition of a destination image to the Web environment by focusing on its conceptualisation and empirical development at the same time. Therefore, the main aim ofthis study is to develop and empirically examine the concept of a Virtual Destination Image Formation (VDIF) model by adopting a hierarchical-based attitude model (e;g., Integrated information response model). This research adds new aspects to traditional image models: telepresence, Web-usage motivations; virtual information, multiple item-based behavioural responses which are traditionally measured by a single item such as visit intention.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:486171 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Hyun, Yong-Ho |
| Publisher | University of Surrey |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/2128/ |
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