The influence of a film on destination iamge. The case of the city of Rome

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential role of destination image in service promotion and consumer choice in the context of film-induced tourism. In detail, the empirical objective is to measure the immediate impacts of a promotional movie trailer on viewers’ perceptions of a destination image. Consumers can be very sensitive to images, and promotional videos or movies can have a very influential impact. In fact, consumers may make purchase choices in a range of areas as a result of what they have seen in a movie. An expanding body of literature suggests that film can influence people’s travel decisions and entice them to visit particular destinations they have seen on the screen. This paper empirically examines the potential effects of a trailer on the image change of the city of Rome as a travel destination. The analysis is based on an empirical study conducted among international respondents. The practical and theoretical implications resulting from the research are discussed within the context of destination management and an agenda for future research is proposed.