Abstract
This study explores the complex nature of tourism representation. Building on cultural representation theory, the researchers examine the photographic representations of US destinations in both Chinese and US media. From Chinese guide books, 1,827 images were collected that feature US destinations and 1,263 images were collected from the tourism promotion website that is targeted at Chinese viewers by the Corporation for Travel Promotion. The visual research methodologies were employed. The results indicate that there is a significant absence of inland US in Chinese guidebooks, although the most popular destinations along the East and West coasts of the country are primary targets for both sides. It was found that Chinese guidebooks show more interest in cityscapes, while the US side favors nature, though both sides attach highest priority to heritage sites. Finally, the two sides employ different cultural codes to represent the same destinations. This finding demonstrates the significant role of sociocultural contexts in the construction of destination representations.
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