The Influence of the Media in Shaping International Tourist Patterns

AbstractMotivational research has suggested that the source of data about destinations may influence the desire of tourists to visit those destinations. "The medium is the message" according to McLuhan. In examining the nature and development of tourist destinations it is clear that a variety of media sources have shaped the information about and images of those destinations. The paper examines, by way of general discussion and the use of specific examples, the role of the different forms of media in shaping international travel patterns. The paper discusses the links between literature and the establishment of 19th and early 20th Century tourist destinations in determining a pattern still prevalent today. It examines the use of images in popular visual media forms in creating new destinations and expectations among international travellers. A broad general model linking the form of media, the type of tourist and the characteristics of the destination is proposed and discussed briefly.