A multidimensional analysis of the information sources construct and its relevance for destination image formation

The images of a tourist destination often depend on information and contents generated by travelers, suppliers, and residents. This article analyzes the weight that different information sources exert in defining the overall information source construct. The authors adopt a multidimensional methodology; unlike prior research, this study considers the combined weight of various web platforms for determining the images of tourist destinations. Thus, in addition to integrating various explanatory models to detail how the images of a tourist destination form, this study adds web platform factors and thereby moves beyond the influences of traditional, offline sources of information. The results of a survey of 541 tourists and residents of Mallorca, according to different descriptive statistics and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, indicate that different websites, reflecting both supplier- and user-generated content, exert important influences and combine to form an information source construct. Furthermore, users who publish tourist information online value web platforms that offer user-generated content when they seek information about a tourist destination for themselves. These findings in turn offer several managerial recommendations. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.