Influence of music on tourism imaginaries of distant destinations

Abstract

Purpose: Visual and textual narratives have long been recognized as stimuli for shaping tourism imaginaries, but the role of music is still to be explored. This study explores how tourism imaginaries of distant destinations are shaped through music. Methods: An experimental design using video-elicitation and 23 semi-structured interviews were appropriate for examining sensory stimuli and imaginaries. Potential tourists to Ecuador consumed the same promotional video with three different music. Ecuador was selected for being a lesser-known country seen as an untamed destination by Western travellers. A deductive-inductive thematic analysis revealed both manifest and latent dimensions of tour-ism imaginaries. Results: Different music paired with identical visuals generates contrasting tourism imaginaries of place, practices, and participants. Ecuador was perceived as a dangerous, peaceful, or vibrant place. Music also shaped imaginaries of tourism practices, leading participants to associate Ecuador with either active or relaxing experiences. As a novelty, the study shows that music can stimulate social awareness of locals’ and tourists’ roles and relations by eliciting imaginaries of either social detachment or connection with host communities. Implications: Tourism marketers are advised to consider music in videos to shape tourism imaginaries and to carefully select music when promoting lesser-known and distant destinations.