Internet vs. travel agencies on pre-visit destination image formation:: An information processing view

The present study aims to provide a deeper insight into the factors affecting the formation of tourism destination image. More specifically, it is an attempt to determine the influence that the Internet, as a new information source in intense competition with travel agencies, exerts on the development of the tourist's pre-visit image. With this objective in mind, the paper analyses the ways in which individuals process information proceeding from each of those sources by way of an empirical study based on a multicultural sample of 592 tourists. The results show that destination image is worse when tourists use a travel agency and Internet together, than when they use a travel agency alone. This effect is moderated by the degree of the tourist's message involvement and Internet experience. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.