The role of sustainability award logos and other visual elements in the formation of a sustainable destination image

Abstract: Pivotal in tourism is the destination image, since it influences the desire to travel to a destination. Being able to successfully form a sustainable destination image is crucial for the flourishing of sustainable tourism. However, the formation of a credible sustainable destination image is challenging, since there are multiple factors that hamper its development. Consequently, understanding the elements that successfully contribute to a genuine sustainable destination image formation is essential. For instance, visual elements displayed in the photographs of a destination can influence the destination image. Such elements can encompass both the features of the pictures, and symbols depicting sustainability certifications. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the role of tourism sustainability certifications and other visual elements present in promotional pictures of a destination in the sustainable destination image formation. The sustainability certification used in this paper is the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI) award logo. The present paper used a mixed-method design, which consisted of both eye-trackers and structured interviews. The research involved 20 participants from different ages and backgrounds that were currently living in Sweden. For this study, pictures from the city of Gothenburg were used. The results showed that the presence of the GDSI award logo was irrelevant in the formation of a sustainable destination image, while visual elements and the emotions evoked by them were influential and pivotal. Based on the results and methodology of the study, theoretical and managerial contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future research were provided.