CHINA IN THE EYES OF WESTERN TRAVELERS AS REPRESENTED IN TRAVEL BLOGS

    Authors

    X. Li;Y. C. Wang

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Travel Tour. Mark.

    Keywords

    Destination image; travel blogs; bloggers; China; DESTINATION IMAGE; INFORMATION SEARCH; COUNTRY IMAGE; TOURISM; MANAGEMENT; PERCEPTIONS; FRAMEWORK; INTERNET; MODEL; Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism

    Abstract

    Travel blogs provide a new way of understanding consumers' perceptions on destination and its associated products. The purpose of this study was to examine international tourists' destination image of China as represented in travel blog discourse. Data were obtained from blog entries relating to trips to China posted on three dominant travel blog websites. Content analysis facilitated by Atlas.ti 6.0 was performed on a total of 89 China-related travel blogs. The study identified the most frequently discussed aspects of tourists' experiences in China. The results also indicated that the blog authors had mixed and paradoxical images of China as identified by previous research. Marketing implications for China's tourism development based on the results were discussed.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing

    Volume

    28

    Issue/Number

    7

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    689

    Last Page

    719

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000300018800002

    ISSN

    1054-8408

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