The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has undertaken advertising in UK to support low season activity using creative ads that carries the headline So Many Reasons? in order to communicate the depth and diversity that Mauritius offers as a holiday destination. The images depict the coastline and the mountainous green interior, as well as a local fisherman. The print campaign was launched through weekend newspaper supplements and magazines. The campaign was conducted in Sunday Times Magazine, Sunday Independent Magazine, Telegraph Saturday Magazines, Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Mail on Sunday and Irish Mail on Sunday (MTPA, 2008).
a) Examine the importance of using image attributes in print advertisements for marketing Mauritius from the demand and supply perspectives.
b) The same advertisement will be used as part of a broader marketing campaign to market the destination in Germany where the internet has become the dominant tool for researching holiday destinations. Discuss how the MTPA will benefit by advertising the destination online in the German market.
c) Several studies have developed models to measure the image attributes of tourism destinations. Identify one of these models and critically examine its usefulness in measuring destination image.