ABSTRACT
There is considerable interest in touristic iconography (Burstein, 2000; Stampino, 2001; Sternberg, 1997) for travel destinations. The term iconography is defined as “the descriptive and classificatory study of images with the aim of understanding the direct or indirect meaning of the subject matter represented” (Bialostocki, 1963, p. 770). Iconography can be viewed as the activity of making products saleable by imbuing them with desirable images (Sternberg, 1997). Tourism scholars have recognized that tourists visit a place because of the image they hold and, moreover, that the touristic destinations themselves are designed to project an appealing image. The images include a series of markers that have been identified, promoted, and marketed to the public. In the field of festivals and special events, cultural markers highlighted by distinctive icons, different languages, dress codes, and religious roots, play a critical role in the success of the events. Although studies of iconography have been widely applied to the tourism experience and destination planning (Gallarza, Saura, & Garcia, 2002), little research has been undertaken in the context of festival tourism. The significance of festival iconography has been neglected in previous research and the marketing value of these markers is yet to be realized.
