Intercultural Place e-Branding (IPB) of Travel Agent Websites in Special Region of Yogyakarta

A Computer Mediated Discourse Analysis (CMDA) Approach

DOI

10.2991/assehr.k.201201.149How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Intercultural, place branding, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA)

Abstract

This research aims to examine how verbal modes (words) and visual (images) are used to build e-branding, brand design and brand communication in specific, of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta/ DIY) as a tourist destination for foreigners in the travel agent websites. This is a qualitative study with a netnography and computer mediated multimodal discourse analysis (CM-MDA) approach. The first approach is applied since it is a specific method to analyse computer-based communication, while the latter is used for investigating elements in establishing place branding of the websites. In addition, the writers employed the theory of brand design and communication proposed by Florek, Insch, and Gnoth [1]. The data were collected and selected based on their contents which promote DIY as a main tourist destination, and their offices are located and confirmed in that area as well. A semi-structured interview to the owner, manager, and head of DIY travel agent association was also conducted. There were 12 websites and 3 participants interviewed in total. The results show that the websites tended to use the keywords “tour/ tours” and the name of the area as their website names in order to be remembered easily, and they mostly had domain suffix.com which shows the seriousness in operating the business and maintaining professionalism. Indonesian was the first language option, and to attract foreign market these websites provided English which considered as one of international languages. The websites were carefully designed so that they were attractive and informative at the same time. Based on the analysis of brand communication, DIY has portrayed as the central of Javanese culture and offered natural landscapes. This picture means that the websites relied significantly on DIY pull factors to draw audiences’ attention. The studies discussing a specific element which contributes most to persuade tourists are highly recommended.

Copyright

© 2020, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Agita Risma Nurhikmawati
AU  - Sigit Ricahyono
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/12/03
TI  - Intercultural Place e-Branding (IPB) of Travel Agent Websites in Special Region of Yogyakarta
BT  - Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Arts and Humanities (IJCAH 2020)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 890
EP  - 896
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201201.149
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.201201.149
ID  - Nurhikmawati2020
ER  -