Title

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

Authors

Authors

X. Li;Y. C. Wang

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

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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