Promoting European countries destination image through Twitter

Abstract

Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) have traditionally been providers of destination-related information and knowledge. Nowadays they have realized the added value of using social media channels to market their destinations. They are developing strategies and initiatives to increase awareness, achieve influence and promote country's image. Twitter is the most popular microblogging site. Building relationships, convenience of networking, and expanding online branding opportunities have been recorded as the perceived benefits of using it. The paper records tourism Twitter accounts' of 38 European countries and indexes of Twitter performance such as number of followers of each account and indexes of followers’ community involvement. An overall performance index is constructed. European countries are then ranked according to their Twitter accounts performance. Three indexes regarding actual Tourism performance for each country, are also recorded. Indexes include International Tourist Arrivals 2011, International Tourism Receipts, and The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2011. Correlations between Twitter performance indexes and tourism indexes are calculated. The high and significant correlations reveal���� that Twitter use is in accordance with countries’ tourism performance and that Twitter, as a medium of eBusiness, does not fail to provide information and to promote countries’ Destination Image.