ABSTRACT

In relation to Ireland, the evolution of regional images in literature, tradition and Irish tourism promotion has received some attention, particularly in the case of the West of Ireland. Since the 1960s locally-based place promotions have increased. Western de-industrialization has de-stabilized urban systems and place identities are changing as commercial, tourism and cultural promotion becomes widespread and not just the preserve of the traditional resorts. One form of consumption which is particularly relevant to the ways in which places are modelled, and has been neglected in academic research is the consumption of tourism. Tourism providers use regional imagery to sell a place as well as a product and, by their nature, tourism products often incorporate aspects of place, e.g. golf courses, heritage attractions and angling and cruising facilities. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.