Image divide in destination marketing: an exploration of the chain of influence in South African tourism marketing

Tourism marketers including Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and international tour operators play a pivotal role in the creation of induced images of destinations. These images, apparent in tourist brochures, are designed to influence tourist decision-making. This paper propose the concept of a Chain of Influence in induced imaging, suggesting that the content of marketing material is influenced by the priorities of those who design these materials. A content analysis of 2,000 pictures from DMO and tour operator brochures revealed synergies and divergence between these marketers in aspects of the induced destination image. The brochure content was then compared to the South African tourism policy, concluding that the dominant factor in the Chain of Influence in the South African context is in fact its organic image