Recent literature has emphasized the emerging role of social media in generating a destination image. Even so, there is still no clear definition of the main actors, typologies and components prevailing in these environments or the possible differences between diverse social platforms. Specific analysis and comparison of the Barcelona TripAdvisor Forum and a traditional Destination Management Organization (DMO) website showed that actors, typologies and components are platform specific and have both similarities and differences with other sources, including DMO websites and other social media platforms.
Introduction and literatureResearch on the processes of constructing a destination image began with Gunn's (1972) formulation of the 'dimorphic theory', indicating that the image of a destination is formed through a process where two types of actors generate two image typologies: tourists have their own impression (organic image) and are exposed to information from other sources as Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) promotions, media interpretations and 'word of mouth' (induced image). Based on this theory, Gartner (1993) identified different actors generating eight sub-typologies through different sources: overt induced I (institutions, through traditional forms of advertising), overt induced II (travel intermediaries, through requested information), covert induced I (celebrity spokespersons, through recommendations), covert induced II (specialists, through reports, stories or articles), autonomous (various actors, through independent information such as news and movies), unsolicited organic (friends, through unsought information), solicited organic (friends, through word of mouth) and organic (personal travel experience). Moreover, Gartner believed that these sources have an impact on two different but hierarchically interrelated image components: cognitive, concerning the understanding and evaluation of a known product, and affective, involving motives and feelings that an individual has for selecting a destination. The third potential 'action' component is conative, driving the ways that a person acts on those thoughts and feelings.