Three Tales of a City

Abstract

Research on destination image has predominantly focused on tourists’ perceptions, with only limited attention being paid to the other stakeholders of the destination. The present study seeks to address this oversight by examining the images that tourists, local residents, and the tourism sector have formed of Eilat, a prominent resort town in Israel. Analysis was based on a sample of 608 stakeholders. Results indicate that there were significant differences in perceptions between the three stakeholder groups in regard to 27 of the 30 destination attributes examined. Tourists held the most favorable image of Eilat, while local residents chose the lowest scores for all destination attributes. The study expands current understandings of stakeholder theory in destination marketing and delineates practical implications for sustainable marketing and the design of internal campaigns aiming to enhance stakeholders’ images of the destination.