Image Differences between Prospective, First-Time, and Repeat Visitors to the Lower Rio Grande Valley

TLDR

Destination image evolves from organic to induced to complex, serving informative, persuasive, and reminding promotional functions. The study analyzed data from 568 prospective, first‑time, and repeat long‑stay winter visitors to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, treating each group as representative of a stage in image evolution. Non‑visitors differed significantly on all five image factors from prospective and repeat visitors; length of stay influenced two factors, while proximity to the Valley affected one factor.

Abstract

Destination image was conceptualized as evolvingfrom an organic image, through an induced image, to a complex image. These image phases were linked to the informative, persuasive, and reminding functions of promotion. Data were analyzed from a sample of 568 prospective, first-time, and repeat long-stay winter visitors to the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. These three subsamples were considered likely to be reasonably reflective of the three stages of image evolution. Significant differences on all five of the image factors which were derived were found between nonvisitors and the other two subsamples. Length of stay was found to significantly affect image on two of the five factors. Differences in image based on respondents' proximity to the Valley were revealed on only one of the five factors.