This study aims to assess the influence of cultural events, structural elements and place brand on destinations’ overall image, based on an evaluation of cognitive and affective components of destination image. The conceptual model used in the research evaluates the impact of a set of tangible and intangible elements associated with two cultural events (one religious and one theatrical) on the cognitive and affective components of destinations’ image and, ultimately, on the destinations’ overall image. The events were the 2013 Easter celebrations in Cáceres and the Festival of Classical Theatre in Mérida, which is held annually in Spanish. A total of 611 tourists attending these events were personally questioned at the site of the events during the celebrations. The results show that cultural events serve as promoters of tourism and help to develop destination image, as well as suggesting that cognitive image contributes more to the formation of overall image than affective image. The findings also reveal that structural elements and place brand positively influence both destinations’ cognitive and affective images. The event brand does not seem to influence any dimension of destination image. Since this study addresses only a part of the tourism activities held at two destinations, further research needs to be conducted in different destinations and events to confirm these findings.

Since very early in history, events are a constant in civilization and manifest themselves as a form of cultural expression of a given community. Cultural celebrations, also known as cultural events, are considered resources and instruments used by destinations in order to show visitors the spiritual beliefs, way of life and culture of the local population. These, in addition to being seen as development tools for destinations, are considered significant factors to project destination image. Destination image has been occupying an increasingly important place in tourism industry, since it can be a decisive factor in how consumers perceive the destination, which influences their image about it and consequently their recommendation to family and friends. That said, there are several strategies created in order to transmit and improve its image in the market. Thus, the main goal of this dissertation is to understand the opinion of Madeira Island residents about cultural events and what kind of image they have of the city (negative or positive), with the goal of studying the case of Funchal city. With this, empirical phase focuses on the application of questionnaires, a quantitative research method. This method demonstrated important results that allowed to verify that residents participate and attend different events and perceive cultural events in a positive way, which leads them to recommend the city, and the events themselves, to family and friends.

Destination image is a prominent topic in tourism research. While studies on destination image have extensively focused on the role of image in destination selection and consumer loyalty, its impact on tourists’ on-site behaviour is often overlooked. This paper explores this relationship through a systematic literature review of Scopus-indexed research published between 1960 and 2019 concerning this theme, discussing the main findings and methodologies utilized as well as the thematic context in which this research was conducted. Research reveals to be primarily quantitative and addressing several components of destination image. The effects of image on on-site behaviour, although less frequent than those on pre and post-travel behaviour, have been analysed in terms of activities sought, levels of expenditure, length of stay, itinerary choices and behaviours towards accommodation. Based on this analysis, gaps in the academic literature are identified suggesting future avenues of research.

Due to increased competition among tourist destinations many destinations become easily replaceable. Therefore, influencing the decision of tourists has been a great challenge for managers and marketeers. In this perspective, the image of tourist destinations plays an important role, as it influences the behavior of individuals and allows the destination to differentiate itself from other in the highly competitive tourist market. The present research analyses the projected image of Brazil based on the official website of the country (visitbrasil.com), in order to understand if it is consistent with the perceived image by the tourist intermediaries in Portugal. To determine the perceived image of Brazil, a questionnaire survey is used, whereas the projected image from the website is analysed using content analysis with the QSR NVivo10 software. It is found that Brazil intends to position itself as a tourist destination devoted to cultural tourism, while the Portuguese tourist intermediaries promote it as a destination mainly oriented to sun and sea tourism.

The mutual benefits of the relationship between heritage and tourism are well recognized. However, despite the importance of visitor–heritage interactions for differentiating coastal destinations, studies regarding this relationship are scarce. Also, the degree to which experience affects image perceptions and behavioural intentions, particularly in situ image, exclusively considering actual behaviour, has rarely been analysed within the same study. Given the gaps identified in research, the main objective of this doctoral thesis is to propose and examine an on-site behaviour model, using a conceptual trilogy – coastal and maritime cultural heritage (CMCH), destination image and loyalty – based on mere exposure theory (MET). To achieve this central aim, a mixed-methods approach was adopted (qualitative and quantitative), and primary data was collected for this specific purpose. The study involved two main stages, carried out in three consecutive, complementary researches. The first was carried out in three European case-regions with different stages of tourism development, with the objective of examining the dynamic relation between tourism and CMCH. Based on semi-structured interviews applied to key stakeholders (n = 41), the thematic analysis results demonstrated that the way this relationship is experienced depends on the region’s stage of tourism development. It allowed guidelines to be identified for more efficient and sustainable management. Based on questionnaires applied to visitors (domestic and international) (n = 720), the second stage, which involved two researches, was empirically carried out in Aveiro, Portugal with the objective of assessing the influence of the degree of experience on image and future behavioural intention. The first aimed at identifying different groups of visitors based on their degree of experience. The results of the segmentation analysis shows that Aveiro’s tourism market is heterogeneous in terms of visitors’ degree of experience, as well as their image perceptions and loyalty. The last research examined an integrative model that tested a set of hypotheses regarding causal relationships between the intensity of on-site experience of CMCH, image and future loyalty (n = 486). The results of the structural equation model showed that the relationship between the intensity of on-site experience with CMCH attractions and loyalty was partially mediated by destination image, through cognitive image, and visitor origin was revealed as a moderator of this relationship, being stronger for international visitors. A set of theoretical and managerial implications and recommendations were produced for both fields of tourism and heritage. As a key conclusion, the study demonstrated the positive influence of the intensity and diversity of heritage experiences on image and loyalty constructs, giving credence to MET constituting key information for destination managers and industry in defining marketing strategies.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o efeito de um conjunto de antecedentes (imagem do destino, apego ao lugar, memória positiva, pleasant arousal) na intenção de retorno e na de recomendar dos turistas relativamente a Portugal. Para testar o modelo proposto foi desenvolvido um questionário direcionado a turistas que estavam a usufruir da sua viagem em Portugal, sendo o mesmo aplicado face a face. No total obtiveram-se 136 respostas. Os resultados do estudo mostram que a imagen cognitiva e imagem afetiva têm um efeito positivo na imagem geral do destino, e a imagem cognitiva também influencia positivamente a imagem afetiva. Para além disso, a imagem geral do destino tem impacto positivo na intenção de recomendar. O apego ao lugar tem um efeito positivo apenas na intenção de retorno e a memória positiva tem impacto positivo tanto na intenção de retorno como na intenção de recomendar. A variável pleasant arousal não apresenta efeito significativo nas intenções de retorno e de recomendar.

Purpose – Digital communication and social media have an increasing importance in society and in tourism boosting. This study aims to analyse the role of digital marketing in the destination image and visitor loyalty of historic sites. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed-method approach combining survey data from 318 respondents and three in-depth interviews. Using structural equations modelling results reveals experience, satisfaction, image and loyalty are concepts to be considered by the destinations’ digital marketing promotion, as well as the increasing use of digital marketing by tourists, in the sense that tourists are increasing the habit of checking the opinion of others before scheduling their trip and gives them more importance, and a growing importance is given by tourists to the web/social networks of places they intend to visit. Findings – This study contributes to the theory on tourism digital marketing which can be transposed to organizations management in order to encourage discussion on the processes of capture, retention and loyalty of target audiences. Research limitations/implications – To enhance the importance of digital marketing in the process of the tourist development of the city, it is fundamental to define a clear strategy for attracting and responding to the greatest demand from cultural tourists who are increasingly interested in actively participating in learning experiences. Practical implications – The results show that digital communication and social media have an increasing importance in society and in tourism boosting and economy recovery. Social implications – The paper presents digital marketing as a possible factor in tourism development and social inclusion, advancing practical measures aimed at social justice through a fairer distribution of tourism revenues and the defence of historic centre residents’ way (i.e. Barcelos’), and quality of life. Originality/value – The authors suggest the development of a strategic digital marketing plan applied to the development and promotion of tourism in the city of Barcelos (Portugal), to complement the research presented here, thus contributing with a more practical perspective of the subject under study.

Purpose – Digital communication and social media have an increasing importance in society and in tourism boosting. This study aims to analyse the role of digital marketing in the destination image and visitor loyalty of historic sites. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed-method approach combining survey data from 318 respondents and three in-depth interviews. Using structural equations modelling results reveals experience, satisfaction, image and loyalty are concepts to be considered by the destinations’ digital marketing promotion, as well as the increasing use of digital marketing by tourists, in the sense that tourists are increasing the habit of checking the opinion of others before scheduling their trip and gives them more importance, and a growing importance is given by tourists to the web/social networks of places they intend to visit. Findings – This study contributes to the theory on tourism digital marketing which can be transposed to organizations management in order to encourage discussion on the processes of capture, retention and loyalty of target audiences. Research limitations/implications – To enhance the importance of digital marketing in the process of the tourist development of the city, it is fundamental to define a clear strategy for attracting and responding to the greatest demand from cultural tourists who are increasingly interested in actively participating in learning experiences. Practical implications – The results show that digital communication and social media have an increasing importance in society and in tourism boosting and economy recovery. Social implications – The paper presents digital marketing as a possible factor in tourism development and social inclusion, advancing practical measures aimed at social justice through a fairer distribution of tourism revenues and the defence of historic centre residents’ way (i.e. Barcelos’), and quality of life. Originality/value – The authors suggest the development of a strategic digital marketing plan applied to the development and promotion of tourism in the city of Barcelos (Portugal), to complement the research presented here, thus contributing with a more practical perspective of the subject under study.

A imagem de um destino turístico é uma temática cada vez mais importante para a investigação sobre turismo, uma vez que tem um papel muito relevante na segmentação de mercado e na consequente satisfação dos turistas. Para sabermos mais sobre esta temática realizamos uma ampla revisão de artigos, abordando temas como os destinos turísticos, a imagem dos destinos e as motivações turísticas, uma vez que são temas fulcrais para a realização deste trabalho de investigação. Um destino turístico deve ter em atenção as necessidades dos turistas atuais e o seu desenvolvimento depende em muito da capacidade que este tem de criar produtos diferenciadores de modo a tornar-se competitivo e a motivar o turista a visitá-lo. Podemos constatar, que a imagem de um destino passa por diversas fases que influenciam na seleção do mesmo por parte do turista e que tem um papel muito importante no que respeita às motivações dos turistas. A metodologia por nós adotada teve como base a aplicação de um questionário aos turistas que se encontravam na cidade de Lisboa, de modo a perceber a imagem do destino Lisboa pelos turistas que visitam o património da cidade. Após a recolha dos dados, estes foram tratados e analisados de modo a dar resposta aos objetivos da nossa investigação. Verificámos que a imagem do Lisboa pelo património visitado, apesar de positiva, deve ser trabalhada de modo a melhorar alguns aspetos que ainda continuam a marcar pela negativa a imagem do património da cidade. Através deste trabalho de investigação podemos perceber que a imagem de um destino é um fator de grande importância, pois gera motivação nos turistas e é através da experiência vivida no destino, que o turista irá manter ou não, a imagem inicial. O objetivo de qualquer destino é que o turista atinja um patamar de satisfação, de modo a que a imagem criada sobre o destino seja a melhor, para que este sinta vontade de voltar e de recomendar a amigos e familiares.

The present paper aims at understanding how destination imagery is processed in tourists’ working memory. The research focuses on two highly desirable, but contrasting, destination brand categories: Favourite Destination, which involves retrospective memory of positive experiences in situ; and Dream Destination, based on tourists’ prospective memory. Through an online multilingual survey, 23,446 responses consisting of perceptions, evoked by way of free-recall, associated to Dream and Favourite Destinations, were collected. Findings point to clear structural differences between the imagery of Dream and Favourite Destinations. Additionally, a theoretical destination imagery model that offers a basis for future studies is proposed, and some managerial implications of significant relevance to destination marketing are discussed.