The (Co)construction of West Denmark's Destination Identity
Author
Fey, Line Maria
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-01-31
Pages
20
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan VisitDenmarks USA-målrettede kampagne Undiscovered West Denmark konstruerer Vestdanmarks destinationsidentitet og -personlighed, og hvordan denne fremstilling relaterer sig til amerikanske turisters værdier, interesser og rejsemotivation. Med afsæt i litteratur om destinationsbranding, online diskurser samt destinationspersonlighed og selvkongruens anvendes et single case study-design. Kampagnens webmateriale analyseres gennem diskursanalyse og Steinar Kvales ad hoc meningsfortolkning, suppleret af semistrukturerede interviews og markedsrapporter om det amerikanske marked. Analysen fokuserer på gennemgående fortællinger, der positionerer Vestdanmark som (1) uopdaget og autentisk, (2) unik og af høj kvalitet og (3) eventyrlig, legende og udendørsorienteret. Diskussionsdelen overvejer i hvilken grad disse træk kan resonere med amerikanske rejsende og understøtte VisitDenmarks mål om at få gæster til at blive længere og bevæge sig ud over København. Selvom detaljerede resultater ligger uden for dette uddrag, peger projektet på digital historiefortællings centrale rolle i at forme destinationsidentitet og i at informere strategiske valg om markedstilpasning.
This thesis examines how VisitDenmark’s U.S.-oriented campaign Undiscovered West Denmark constructs the destination identity and personality of West Denmark, and how this portrayal relates to U.S. tourists’ values, interests, and travel motivations. Grounded in literature on destination branding, online discourses, and destination personality/self-congruity, the study adopts a single case study design. It analyzes the campaign’s website materials via discourse analysis and Steinar Kvale’s ad hoc meaning interpretation, supplemented by semi-structured interviews and market reports on the U.S. market. The analysis focuses on recurring narratives that position West Denmark as (1) undiscovered and authentic, (2) unique and high-quality, and (3) adventurous, playful, and outdoorsy. The discussion considers the extent to which these traits may resonate with U.S. travelers and support VisitDenmark’s aim of encouraging visitors to stay longer and look beyond Copenhagen. While detailed outcomes are beyond the scope of this excerpt, the project highlights the role of digital storytelling in shaping destination identity and guiding strategic decisions about market fit.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
Documents
Other projects by the authors
Fey, Line Maria:
- Changing the Face of Tourism (2021)