Strategic appropriation of User-Generated Content in tourism: Digital communication and the intercultural circulation of destination representations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34630/e-rei.vi14.7434Keywords:
User-Generated Content (UGC), Tourism communication, Digital tourism, Intercultural communication, Destination branding, Appropriation strategiesAbstract
User-Generated Content (UGC) is a very relevant element of digital tourism communication. It plays a significant role in shaping how tourists perceive destinations and influences travel-related decisions throughout different stages of the journey. UGC also affects the relationship between users of tourism services and the organisations that provide them. In response, tourism brands have progressively incorporated user-produced content into their communication strategies with target audiences. This study examines how Portuguese tourism organisations strategically appropriate UGC within their digital communication practices. To address this question, a qualitative and cross-sectional analysis was undertaken, which enabled a comparative examination of the strategies adopted by different entities. Drawing on the analysis of content published on Instagram by both public and private organisations in the tourism sector, this study identifies several modalities through which UGC is incorporated into institutional communication. The findings reveal the coexistence of strategies that emphasise authenticity, aesthetic curation and institutional control. These dynamics point to an underlying tension between the spontaneous nature of user-generated content and the deliberate use of branding strategies in contemporary tourism communication. The article contributes to ongoing discussions on the role of UGC in destination branding and digital tourism communication, while also highlighting the intercultural dimension involved in the circulation and interpretation of destination representations among culturally diverse audiences.
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