Do the DMO and the Tourists Deliver the Similar Image? Research on Representation of the Health Destination Image Based on UGC and the Theory of Discourse Power: A Case Study of Bama, China

Abstract

Even though destination image is an important expression of discovering the local landscapes and place significance, the construction and measurement of destination image neglect the place component. This research explores the image of health destinations, as well as its representation mechanism, combining the triadic structure of tourism image proposed by Marine-Roig et al. with the theory of discourse power put forward by Michel Foucault, taking Bama, Guangxi as a case. In addition, this paper uses the IPA matrix to visually unveil the pronounced gap between the projected image by Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and the perceived image of tourists and suggests strategies that DMOs should adopt in the different dimensions.