Destination’s brand identity into a brand image projected across various social media platforms

The study aim was to investigate how Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) translate their destination’s brand identity, as articulated in their strategic documents, into a brand image projected across various social media platforms. The study was guided by four main objectives, built around a phased approach. Firstly, a comprehensive analysis of the existing body of literature pertaining to destination branding and the intersection with social media (Phase 1). Secondly, an analysis of DMOs’ strategic documents (Phase 2). Thirdly, an examination of DMOs’ social media content and user engagement (Phase 3). A multi-phase mixed-methods approach was taken. Three consecutive phases were employed, and each phase attended to a different but interconnected research problem.