... image can be considered as "The attitude, perception, beliefs and ideas one holds about a particular geographic area in the world" (Gartner, 2001: 296). "Destination image is an evaluation based on perceptions" (Hall 2003 : 105) but on the other hand, a destination image can be viewed as the mental picture promoters are trying to instill within a target audience (Gartner, 2000:295-296). Destination image can either be created visually or mentally, as a symbolic representation of a place, but both have only one task - to create a positive image to get potential tourists to consume. The importance of image formation is especially relevant to tourist development because a tourist's image is generally very resistant to change once it has been formed (Gunn, 1972). From a review of destination image studies, Gunn (1972) conceptualised image formation into two different elements: organic, which refers to tourists' impression of a destination without ...

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