ABSTRACT
A considerable amount of research has discussed the management and formation of place image and many authors have attempted to conceptualize the components of destination image (Um and Crompton, 1990; Echtner and Brent-Ritchie, 1991; Gartner, 1996; Walmsley and Young, 1998). In addition, many researchers have investigated the image formation process, beginning with Gunn’s (1988) work on induced and organic images. In particular, they have examined the three main influences on destination image formation, namely promotional material, secondary experiences (e.g. the opinions of others) and the media (Gartner, 1993, 1996; Ross, 1994; Font, 1996). Of particular interest here is work that has discussed the role of movies in shaping place image (Butler, 1990; Riley et al., 1998; Busby and Klug, 2001). The assumption of much of this destination image-formation literature is that these three key influences combine with personal or individual factors (Ashworth and Voogd, 1990) to produce a destination image (Font, 1996; Baloglu and McClearly, 1999). The relative significance and credibility of the media in shaping such images are of central importance to the role of PR in destination promotional strategies, a point to which we will return below.
