Netographic narratives of user-generated travelogues on tourist destination image of Thailand

PLoS One. 2024 May 8;19(5):e0301582. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301582. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

The image of a tourist destination is considered a vital aspect of international travel experiences, yet research in this area remains limited. Adopting a combination of netography and qualitative research methodology, this study aims to contribute to the scientific knowledge of destination image development in Thailand by analysing online travelogues to evaluate how Chinese tourists interpret the idea of destination image. To achieve this goal, 146,641 words of Chinese internet comments containing the keyword "Thailand" from four major media sources and Chinese bloggers were gathered and analysed using netography methodology. The findings showed that there was a rise in public interest, in public forums, in the destination image of Thailand among Chinese outbound tourists. The study's results may provide important fundamental theoretical insights and inspire further investigation into the issue of destination image construction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Narration
  • Thailand
  • Tourism*
  • Travel

Grants and funding

This article is part of academic achievements of first-class universities and disciplines in tourism management discipline (project) in Guangxi, China. The research work has also been participating Humanities and social sciences project of training plan for one thousand young and middle-aged backbone teachers in Guangxi colleges and universities “Research on the path and countermeasures of inbound tourism promoting China culture to enter ASEAN countries under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative” (2021QGRW066). The university and the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.