Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

A clear understanding of destination image is crucial for developing effective marketing and positioning strategies. The purpose of the study is to examine the images of Brookings perceived by actual tourists. An online questionnaire was developed and sent to email subscribers of the largest local event center. A total of 344 valid responses were received. Overall tourists had positive perceptions of Brookings as a tourism destination. The study identified six Brookings’ image dimensions, including Outdoor Activities and Natural Scenery, Atmosphere, Tourism Infrastructure, Value for Money and Convenience, Historic Attractions, and College Town Style. The social and cultural environment is the most favored element in Brookings. As a college town, Brookings was differentiated from other rural tourism destinations. It is suggested that the city and the university work in partnership to increase visitation both to the campus and the community. To enhance Brookings’ image, destination marketers should focus on the low-rated image items and incorporate them in destination marketing materials.

Publication Title

International Journal of Business and Management

Volume

15

Issue

7

First Page

1

Last Page

9

DOI of Published Version

10.5539/ijbm.v15n7p1

Publisher

Canadian Center of Science and Education

Rights

Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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