Publication: One does not simply … project a destination image within a participatory culture
Issued Date
2020
Resource Type
Language
eng
File Type
video/youtube
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
Elsevier
Bibliographic Citation
The Journal of Destination Marketing & Management (JDMM). Vol. 18, (Dec.2020)
Suggested Citation
Tomaž, Kolar, Walanchalee Wattanacharoensil One does not simply … project a destination image within a participatory culture. The Journal of Destination Marketing & Management (JDMM). Vol. 18, (Dec.2020). Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/79574
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
One does not simply … project a destination image within a participatory culture
Author(s)
Abstract
This study examines how internet memes, as an increasingly relevant and conceptually distinctive type of user-generated content (UGC), represent Thailand's destination image and how such representation differs from established destination image sources. For this purpose, participatory culture is first proposed as an alternative conceptual framework, followed by empirical research, which upgrades visual content analysis (VCA) with semiotic analysis. The findings of VCA reveal that memes yield a markedly different representation of Thailand as they introduce an entire cluster of peculiar and controversial themes, which are not depicted on destination marketing organization (DMO) and TripAdvisor photos. Semiotic analysis, in addition, uncovers that memetic representation is evocative and conveys a layer of symbolic notions and alluding connotations. In this manner, findings attest that memes are a semantically rich format and genre of UGC, which expands existing knowledge about destination-image formation and representation on social media. Managerial implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research in this domain are also discussed.