Influencia de internet versus medios tradicionales sobre la imagen de marca ciudad

The relevance of internet information sources in the process of image formation is increasingly recognized in the literature. The purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of this medium on the image of the city brand, in comparison with traditional communication sources such as television, press, brochures or tourism fairs. The study is contextualized in the case of the Spanish city of Plasencia by means of a methodological analysis of structural equations (SEM), based on a personal survey with support in a structured questionnaire made to 471 tourists. The results show an unequal contribution of the two types of information sources on the destination image, where the capacity of traditional media to predict the image of the destination is greater. Thus, among the conclusions reached, highlights the low contribution that institutional web pages have on the image of the city, as opposed to a greater role played by the recommendations of family and friends. In conclusion, these results reinforce the perspective that institutional communication may be important, but it is not decisive for the image of the city.