Health, Wellness and Tourism: healthy tourists, healthy business ...

summary or as a commonly accepted bottom line, image comprises not only facts but also
fantasy, not only objective reality but also subjective inference, truth and conjecture,
observation and evaluation.
One of the few exceptions for using a qualitative approach which is embedded in a concise
conceptual framework is Tapachai and Waryszak’s (2000) work on the role of beneficial
image for destination selection. They base their approach on the category-based image
processing theory discussed by Keaveney and Hunt (1992) extensively. Keaveney and Hunt
(1992: 167) argue that the “lion’s share of store image research did not capture store image
empirically”. This caveat of mainly attribute-intensive research approaches for supposedly
measuring synergistic and gestalt nature images does not seem to be relevant in the domain of
retailing but also in the area of destinations (Echtner and Ritchie 1993, Pike 2002, 2007).
The discrepancy between concept definition and measurement is fuelled particularly in view
of the rival mid-level theories of piecemeal processing (Fiske 1982) and category-based
processing (Fiske and Pavelchak 1984, Sujan 1985). Piecemeal processing assumes that
consumers evaluate product attributes each time anew when they are encountered (exposure,
presentation). Evaluations are made independently of the presence of other attributes. And
finally, judgments are formed by combining these isolated elements. This type of processing
and information integration is deemed to be effortful, however, ignores prior experience with
other instances of the same category (inferences, conclusions). By contrast, category-based
processing supposes that incoming information is immediately compared with previously
defined categories based on ‘family resemblance’. Categorization of items evolves and
depends on the degree of match of cues within the category. A successful match invokes the
relevant ‘schema’ in memory. A schema is made of salient attributes, importance of attributes,
relationships among attributes, evaluative conclusions, context, and the sequence of events.
Basically, a copying mechanism is triggered where the generic schema is adopted to a specific
instance together with the affect inherent. If a category match fails completely and the
involvement level is sufficiently high the consumer will engage in a more effortful processing
style and will probably come up with a new category in memory. However, if the incoming
information about a stimulus fits the existing category it is evaluated as ‘typical’ and is
deemed to be best remembered. Otherwise, if mildly discrepant information is encountered
modifications to the existing category have to be made. Yet, it is assumed that these deviating
or differential information cues are quickly forgotten. As a consequence, it is strongly
recommended to adapt measurement techniques to these basic assumptions about information
and categorization processing routines.
Hence, this study tries to give an answer to the question whether the images of destinations
differ across different travel contexts (wellness vs. sun & beach). In addition, the
conceptualization follows the direction of an ‘overall composite and gestalt impression’
summarized by Keaveney and Hunt (1992) which requires also an adequate holistic
measurement process. In this respect, the current study is a replication of Tapachai and
Waryszak’s (2000) attempt with four major extensions: 1. The process for developing the socalled
proxy-prototypes for destinations is based on travelers with and without prior
destination visits. 2. The main study is not administered in a class-room situation but with
travelers of various source markets at a destination which has both main offers: sun and beach
and wellness. 3. The study differentiates between two different travel contexts: sun and beach
versus wellness and 4. To generate useful results for strategic marketing the study investigates
the destination image of more than one country.