Slovakia as a tourist destination. A case study of Danes' perceptions of Slovakia as a tourist destination which also questions the presentation of Slovakia in the promotional materials issued by Slovak Tourist Board and its branding as a Central European Country
Author
Pierzgova, Katarina
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2013
Submitted on
2013-05-31
Pages
89
Abstract
This thesis explores how Danish travelers perceive Slovakia as a tourist destination, how the country is presented in promotional materials available to Danes in Denmark, and what barriers may discourage Danes from visiting. Set against the broader context of post–Cold War rebranding in Central and Eastern Europe, it also examines Slovakia’s attempt to position itself as a Central European country. The study draws on interviews with Danes who have visited Slovakia for various purposes, have lived there, or have not yet visited, to understand their pre-visit images, the information sources shaping those images, and any changes after visiting. It also analyzes promotional materials distributed by the Slovak Tourist Board at tourism fairs in Denmark. Findings indicate that, in this particular case, the expected link between destination images and travel behavior is not supported. Moreover, the materials analyzed do not present Slovakia as a distinctive destination; instead, they frame it as part of broader regions and as a place to be visited in combination with other countries. The study further shows that many Danes struggle to distinguish Central from Eastern Europe, suggesting that efforts to shed post-communist associations have not been fully successful. The thesis concludes with theoretical implications and recommendations for future research.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan danske turister opfatter Slovakiet som rejsemål, hvordan landet præsenteres i de promoveringsmaterialer, der er tilgængelige for danskere i Danmark, og hvilke barrierer der kan afholde danskere fra at rejse dertil. Med afsæt i Central- og Østeuropas rebranding efter den kolde krig analyseres også Slovakiets forsøg på at positionere sig som et centraleuropæisk land. Undersøgelsen bygger på interviews med danskere, som enten har besøgt Slovakiet af forskellige årsager, har boet i landet eller endnu ikke har været der, for at belyse deres billeder af Slovakiet før og efter et besøg, samt de informationskilder der former disse billeder. Hertil kommer en analyse af de materialer, Slovak Tourist Board uddeler på rejsemesser i Danmark. Resultaterne peger på, at den forventede sammenhæng mellem destinationsbilleder og danskernes rejseadfærd ikke kan bekræftes i denne case. Samtidig formår de analyserede materialer ikke at differentiere Slovakiet som et unikt rejsemål, men indrammer landet som del af bredere regioner og som noget, der bør kombineres med andre lande. Endelig viser studiet, at mange danskere har svært ved at skelne mellem Central- og Østeuropa, hvilket indikerer, at indsatsen for at slippe af med postkommunistiske associationer ikke er fuldt ud lykkedes. Specialet afslutter med teoretiske implikationer og forslag til videre forskning.
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