ABSTRACT
The global tourism market is by its very nature fiercely competitive; no other marketplace has as many ‘brands’ all competing for attention and selection by the potential tourist. This is the main reason that destination marketers, at city, state and national levels, arguably have a far more challenging role than other consumer services or goods marketers (Pike 2008). It is not surprising therefore that tourism destination image (TDI) is of crucial importance and has demanded the attention of tourism academia and researchers. There is now a substantial body of research that documents and highlights how influential destination images are in the selection of vacation places by the potential visitor. These consumers use their perceptions about destinations in their decision making and the destination as a ‘brand’ is always a factor in their final choice.
