Destination image: Future research implications from the categorization of 156 publications from 2008 to 2019

Abstract

Destination image has been one of the most researched constructs in the tourism literature since the first studies were published in the early 1970s. Despite this enduring popularity, there is not yet a consensus on how destination image should be measured, leading to a multiplicity of viewpoints and methods. Therefore, to provide a consolidated methodological categorization for future researchers, this paper sets out to identify the key characteristics of a sample of 156 destination image articles published between 2008 and 2019. The categorization follows the structure of Pike's (2002, 2007) reviews of 262 destination image articles published between 1973 and 2007. Combined with the present study, future destination image researchers will have references to, and the characteristics of, a sample of 418 publications from 1973 to 2019. In addition, we highlight several key limitations in destination image research to date, which present opportunities for future studies to enhance understanding of the complex nature of destination attractiveness.