Browsing by Author "Gospodinova, Teodora Hristova"
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- The impact of the communist heritage on the destination image perceived by western tourists. The case study of Poland and BulgariaPublication . Gospodinova, Teodora Hristova; Mendes, Júlio; Matos, NélsonOver recent years the importance of destination image on tourists’ decision-making process has been increasingly analysed as an important factor. However, the researches into this topic are still maturing. As noted previously, the tourism industry in the Post-Soviet countries has not been a subject of great interest from scholars. However, the uniqueness of the cultural and historical background of these countries contributes to tourism flows which are important to explore. Therefore, this dissertation examines the impact of the communist heritage on the destination image perceived by foreign consumers, focusing on two the post-communist countries – Bulgaria and Poland, which have a long history connected to communism due to Soviet occupation in the years between 1945 and 1991. Drawing on theories of tourists’ perceptions, heritage tourism, and destination image conceptualization, an empirical study was conducted using mixed methods. The semi-structured questionnaires with mixed questions (open-ended questions, semantic, Likert scale) were distributed online (via Facebook, Viber, and e-mail) to Western tourists. The findings of this research showed that the respondents in both sampling groups had positive perceptions about the overall destination image of each post-Soviet country. However, regarding the communist heritage aspect, while Poland is significantly recognized as a cultural and heritage destination, Bulgaria's best-perceived elements as a destination, are its attractive scenery/natural landscape and good weather. The findings in the study contribute to a clearer understanding of the communist heritage of the post-Soviet states by empirically evaluating the main characteristics of Poland's and Bulgaria's destination image. Furthermore, significant implications for tourism managers and researchers are highlighted, including defining greater promotional endeavours that would increase Poland's and Bulgaria's brand recognition and value, and the development of new, more satisfactory tourist products.