Impact of image upon destination marketing: Research on perception of travel agency managers

Relocation of living spaces due to vital necessities changed in time due to different and temporal reasons; in the course of ages, this evolved into a worlwide travel movement. Guided by the current touristic trends, many of the rising destinations strive to make difference not only in terms of transportation, accommodation, gastronomy and entertainment facilities they offer, but also by use of their intangible and tangible attractiveness and then become distinctive attraction centers where people demand to become a part of the experience. With the faciliated use of advanced transport and communication technologies of the period, many people can have the opportunity to know more about the world and different people by the help of tourism. Playing a pivotal role in terms of personal comsumption traits, place image is utilized for a much clear perception of the destination. Destinastion image can be formed prior to visit to the destination and can be subject to change either during or after the visit. In order to have a competitive place within the global market, many destinastions spend effort to create a distinctive image perception. The physical, historical and cultural resources of a destination can be deemed as the grounds for touristic competitiveness. In marketing of the destinations and tourism, which occupy a major part of this competition, locally, nationally or internationally-active travel mediators play an effective role. in tourism and destination marketing. The aim of this research is to scrutinize the impact of destination image of Turkey upon Turkey-based travel agencies and evaluate the possible effects in terms of destination marketing. In the first chapter, concepets of destination and destination marketing is explained. The second chapter focuses on concepts related to image and destination image. The analyses of research on travel agencies' perception on the destination image of Turkey take place in the third chapter. In result of research, it is concluded that conative image is affirmly influenced by affective image. Keywords: Destination, Destination Marketing, Destination Image, Travel Agency, Turkey.