Tourism Marketing for Destinations with Negative Images

While some destinations enjoy a positive image and a constant influx of tourists, this is not always the case. Other places, particularly in developing countries, may suffer from repeated crises and are associated with negative stereotypes that keep tourists away. In the previous chapters we learned that tourist destinations in developing countries tend to suffer from negative stereotypes, generalizations and perceptions; that there are various factors that shape these negative images in the mass media; and that destination marketing practices can alter these images. The current chapter will explore four key issues: (a) the use of image restoration discourse to improve a destination’s image; (b) the role of crisis communication in responding to sudden crises; (c) the multi-step model for altering the place’s image, and its implication for destination marketing; and (d) the marketing tool of media strategies and the relevant strategies for marketing destinations that suffer from negative stereotypes and other undesirable images.