Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In the tourism sector, competition exists not only among businesses but also among destinations themselves. Competition at the destination level can be a determining factor in the competitive dynamics among individual enterprises. This condition has led to the establishment of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). From a marketing communication perspective, promotional activities emerge as a central function of DMOs. In destination promotion, where social media tools are actively employed, destinations are identified and framed through the lens of experience components. This study examines the YouTube channels and promotional videos of DMOs from the ten Mediterranean countries with the highest number of tourist arrivals (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Türkiye, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Morocco, and Egypt) within the framework of destination experience components. Given the relative similarity in their competitive structures, the sample was selected from Mediterranean countries to facilitate cross-national comparison. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study employs thematic analysis and semiotic analysis to interpret the data. Within this context, semiotic elements such as metaphors, metonymies, myths, and overarching signs—tools commonly used in narrative construction—have been analysed. The findings reveal that destination experience components are employed effectively; among these, physical geography, emotions, and aesthetic qualities of the built environment are the most frequently emphasised, while elements such as transportation, infrastructure, and economic value are the least represented. The study recommends that all experience components that influence visitation and satisfaction should be balanced in promotional content, ensuring that no element is overlooked.
Author: Fikret Işık
Institution: Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat Üniversitesi
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414537471
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