Factors Cultivating Destination-Country Image via YouTube

Abstract

The perception of a country as a travel destination is influenced by various factors, and destination-country image is a crucial element in attracting international tourists. Strengthening the destination image is vital for the growth of the tourism industry and can have a broader impact on shaping the overall impression of the country itself. In today’s digital era, with the increasing popularity of social media platforms, leveraging YouTube videos as a promotional tool has gained significant importance in destination marketing. This study took French YouTube users as the sampling unit. Structural equation model is applied to explore the relationship between architecture identity portrayed on YouTube, perceived cognitive and affective destination image of Beijing, and China’s destination-country image together to contribute via researching YouTube’s coverage of China’s tourism and its implications for China’s destination-country image management. The structural equation model indicated that exposure to YouTube plays a crucial role in shaping various aspects related to destination image, including architecture identity, perceived cognitive destination image, the overall impression of China as a travel destination, and the perception of China as a country. This study holds significance in offering recommendations and guidance for enhancing the destination image of a country with YouTube via iconic architecture in famous destination city as video object. It provides insights for China’s destination-country image building.