The potential contribution of film tourism to destination image recovery in Zimbabwe.

The basis of this paper is a study on image and performance of a tourist destination. This study sought to explore the potential contribution of on-location film-induced tourism to Zimbabwe’s tourist destination image. The problem which motivated the study was that as a tourist destination, Zimbabwe has been battling a negative image for some time now without much success. Rebranding and numerous traditional forms of tourism promotion which are associated with low market credibility have been used several times with a view to improve Zimbabwe’s image. Autonomous image change agents such as film which are associated with high market credibility and are known to have a strong influence not only on the tourist decision-making for short-term holiday, but on tourism revenues and long-term prosperity of destinations, are yet to be fully embraced especially by the developing world. In light of this, the study’s objectives were to establish the current level of use of film tourism in improving Zimbabwe’s tourist destination image, to assess the potential contribution of film tourism to Zimbabwe’s tourist destination image, and to suggest strategies for enhancing the contribution of film to Zimbabwe's tourist destination image. A qualitative research methodology which included the observation of some films and in - depth interviews was used to collect data from twenty five participants in Harare. The participants comprised tourists, filmmakers, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (Television) and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) personnel. The findings suggested that there was potential for using on - location film - induced tourism for improving destination image despite that the concept is still in its infancy in Zimbabwe and should overcome a number of challenges. Strategies to improve the potential contribution of film to improving destination image were highlighted