COVID-19 Pandemic, Coronavirus Cartoon Crisis and the Danish-Chinese Tourism Market
Author
Zhang, Qiong
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-06-01
Abstract
This thesis examines how the COVID-19 pandemic and the controversy around a Danish newspaper’s “coronavirus cartoon” affected Denmark’s destination image in the Chinese market and tourism between Denmark and China. Framed by destination branding, crisis management and social encounter concepts, the study follows an inductive, qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and secondary online sources, with a primary focus on the perspectives of Chinese tourism practitioners in Denmark. Reviewing Danish DMOs’ recent marketing and the long yet complex bilateral relationship, the study finds that Denmark has been positioned in China as a “fairy-tale kingdom,” while the cartoon is perceived as a cultural conflict that underscores the long-standing coexistence of cooperation and tension between the two countries. Operationally, the pandemic led to flight cancellations, border controls and suspended marketing, effectively pausing travel. The thesis offers insight into how such crises challenge destination branding targeted at the Chinese market.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan COVID-19-pandemien og kontroversen om en dansk avis’ “coronategning” har påvirket Danmarks destinationsimage på det kinesiske marked og turismen mellem Danmark og Kina. Med afsæt i destination branding, krisestyring og sociale møder anvendes en induktiv, kvalitativ tilgang baseret på semistrukturerede interviews og sekundære onlinekilder, med særligt fokus på kinesiske turismepraktikeres perspektiver i Danmark. Gennemgangen af danske DMO’ers markedsføring og den lange, men komplekse, bilaterale relation viser, at Danmark i Kina er brandet som et “eventyrkongedømme”. Samtidig opleves tegningen som et kulturelt konfliktpunkt, der synliggør, at samarbejde og konflikt længe har eksisteret side om side i forholdet mellem landene. På praktisk plan medførte pandemien aflyste flyvninger, grænsekontrol og suspenderede markedsføringsaktiviteter, hvilket de facto satte turismen på pause. Specialet giver indblik i, hvordan sådanne kriser udfordrer destinationsbranding over for det kinesiske marked.
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