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Destination Image of DMO and UGC on Instagram: A Machine-Learning Approach

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Abstract

Social media plays a key role in shaping the image of a destination. Although recent research has investigated factors influencing online users’ perception towards destination image, limited studies encompass and compare social media content shared by tourists and destination management organisations (DMOs) at the same time. This paper aims to determine whether the projected image of DMOs corresponds with the destination image perceived by tourists. By taking the Austrian Alpine resort Saalbach-Hinterglemm as a case, a netnographic approach was applied to analyse the visual and textual posts of DMO and user-generated content (UGC) on Instagram using machine learning. The findings reveal themes that are not covered in the posts published by marketers but do appear in UGC. This study adds to the existing literature by providing a deeper insight into destination image formation and uses a qualitative approach to assess destination brand image. It further highlights practical implications for the industry regarding DMOs’ social media marketing strategy.
... In short, and despite the importance of congruence in destination communication (Egger et al., 2022), ERTCP and ARPTCP apply different communication strategies to engage with their respective audiences. Despite operating in the same region, their levels of engagement and follower counts are disproportionate to their target markets. ...
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Instagram has become one of the principal social media platforms with substantial influence in contemporary society. This study sheds light on the divergent approaches adopted by two DMOs tasked with promoting the central region of Portugal. This approach encompasses several facets, including the types of images shared, the frequency of publication, and the implementation of hashtags. All the images shared by the two accounts in 2022 were systematically collected and subjected to exhaustive analysis based on predetermined parameters. The research revealed different strategies for using Instagram, despite both DMOs promoting the same territory. While the ERTCP account, @centro_de_portugal, focuses mainly on the Nature & Landscape and Place categories, the ARPTCP account, @centerofportugal, emphasises Humanised Spaces and Architecture categories. The frequency of publication and the use of hashtags also varied, with the ERTCP account posting more frequently and using a wider range of hashtags. In terms of engagement metrics, the @centro_de_portugal maintains its prominent position. However, the pattern of follower interaction over the course of the year was similar for both accounts, with the first and last four months witnessing higher engagement. An analysis of the frequency of posts per day of the week also revealed different patterns.
... 4. Considerazioni conclusive. -Con l'avvento dei social media, la promozione di una destinazione nonché la relativa costituzione dell'identità del luogo in termini di brand diventano il risultato di un processo di condivisione tra gli stakeholders che passa dalla co-creazione/accettazione degli stessi turisti (Huertas et al., 2021): gli "ingredienti principali" sono l'User-Generated Content (UGC) e la web reputation, sui quali sono attualmente impegnate le potenzialità dell'intelligenza artificiale per l'analisi della Destination Image (Egger et al., 2022). Se i social media svolgono un ruolo chiave nel plasmare l'immagine di una destinazione, quest'ultima è dunque sempre più costituita dai prodotti mediatici consumati online, con particolare forza attribuita alle rappresentazioni visive per la loro immediatezza comunicativa (Xiao et al., 2020): in particolare, è stato dimostrato come l'utilizzo degli hashtag nella logica relazionale del tipo regione-nazione sia in grado di aumentare il numero di like, influendo positivamente sulle piccole destinazioni (Bellio e Checchinato, 2022). ...
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La riserva naturale orientata Laguna di Capo Peloro (Messina) insiste in un’area fortemente antropizzata, rispondendo a un notevole valore turistico e ricreativo. Tale realtà, quindi, assolve un duplice compito: da una parte, come da definizione tutela la peculiarità del paesaggio, dall’altra contribuisce a creare una narrazione del capoluogo di Messina, altrimenti svuotato di contenuti rispetto ad altre realtà siciliane. Alla luce di tale rilevanza e del potenziale coinvolgimento nelle opere infrastrutturali del “Ponte sullo Stretto”, il presente contributo mira a colmare una certa lacunosità degli studi geografici recenti sull’area e intende fare emergere criticamente opportunità e criticità insite nella gestione e nella valorizzazione della città.
... The data collection process was based on the data mining tool PhantomBuster, which imitates human navigation on social media to respect anonymity and the general terms of service [23]. The travel influencer profiles were identified using the influencer marketing platform StarNgage and PhantomBuster. ...
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This study examines the cognitive image of Austria as a travel destination through Instagram content posted by travel influencers. The study also investigates how the account type, influencer type, and posting frequency affect user engagement. Machine learning techniques and statistical analysis are used to analyze the data. The study found that influencers contribute to Austria's destination image mainly through content about the Alps, Vienna, and cycling. The study provides insights into successful destination promotion on Instagram through influencer marketing. Micro-influencers who post regularly with relevant content are ideal for DMOs. Meso-influencers and verified accounts receive more likes for less popular themes, while micro-influencers are sufficient for more popular themes. It is also disadvantageous for meso-influencers to be perceived as commercial accounts and not to post as often as emerging influencers.
... The proposed approach, in contrast to the methodology suggested by Egger et al. (2022), employs the scene description strategy. While the Google Vision API proves potent, it merely lists what it perceives in the image (a tree, the beach, a bird, etc.). ...
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