How does tourism brand marketing impact on tourists’ perceptions of Malta?

Abstract

The aim of this research was to detect relationships between tourists visiting Malta and their perceptions of Malta’s brand and tourism marketing. In order to achieve such purpose, a quantitative approach was undertaken. The researcher strategically assessed this concept by means of a questionnaire distributed to 400 tourists at the Malta International Airport. The questions included in this research tool were designed in such a way as to enable the author to gather the data required in line with the three objectives of this research; to study whether marketing related to Malta’s Tourism is prompting tourists to visit Malta, to analyse tourists’ perceptions of advertising related to Malta and to investigate tourists’ perceptions of Malta’s Image. Generally, the main findings related with the objectives selected, showed that marketing of Malta’s tourism is not the main driver prompting tourists to visit Malta, but ‘Word of Mouth Marketing’ is. However, through the results of this research, one can safely say that those Tourists that designated advertising related to Malta as their most influential aspect of selecting Malta had positive perceptions towards it and the overall most common interpretation of Malta’s Image was that of the ‘Hospitality of People’. This research showed how Malta is being positioned as a multi dimensional brand as it is being segmented into four main images – ‘Hospitality of People’, ‘English Language School’, ‘Island of History and Archaeology’ and ‘Mediterranean Island’. Participants scarcely selected the images of a Business Centre and a Diving Destination and hence the researcher shared a number of recommendations on these lines. This paper gives recommendations on the further widespread of current marketing strategies and on the development of the vehicles of marketing, mainly travel agents, tour operators and the media.