ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the image of Gloucester, England will be analyzed using official marketing material and participant generated photographs, critically comparing its projected and perceived image. However, this research is more pluralistic in its aim, comparatively analyzing the complexities of projected and perceived visual images of Gloucester. The chapter conceptualizes the destination image, incorporating both a destination's salient attributes and holistic impressions, providing a succinct overview of the image formation process. The research highlights the imbalanced congruencies between the perceived and projected image of Gloucester, and the crucial role that new media's play in maintaining and developing a successful holistic destination image. This supports the notion of a circle of representation but in a modified form, based on wider changes in consumer behavior. The key themes of the projected and perceived image of Gloucester are illustrated in and can allude to levels of congruency between the two.
