Using Visitor-Employed Photography to Investigate Destination Image

Abstract

Given the dominant use of visuals in destination image promotion and the call for more pluralistic approaches in tourism analysis, the purpose of this research note is to illustrate the utility of visitor-employed photography (VEP) to elicit tourist destination image. An image study conducted at a heritage site provides an example of VEP applied in this context. Challenges associated with using VEP mainly were logistical (for visitors) and resource based (for researchers). Benefits to using this method for image assessment were high response rate (95%), unprompted visitor-generated themes and visuals, and enjoyment expressed by respondents. The VEP method provided highly visual records of what best captured the visitors’ images of the site, which then can be compared to pictures used in current promotional efforts. Results provide initial support of the usefulness of VEP to generate images of a tourist attraction and to facilitate meaningful practical and theoretical integration of visitor-determined images with destination-determined images.