Comparing Media Representations and Tourist Perceptions: Australia

This report delves into the significant role of media in shaping perceptions and attracting tourists to Australian destinations, specifically focusing on the Great Barrier Reef, Green Island, and Kuranda. It analyzes how various media channels, including YouTube, Facebook, brochures, and community websites, are utilized to promote these destinations. The report provides a detailed background of each location, examining how media representations aim to entice visitors. Furthermore, it outlines the research methodology employed, emphasizing the use of secondary research methods. A critical aspect of the report involves a comparison between the perceptions of interviewees who have visited these destinations and the media's portrayal of them, highlighting discrepancies and offering valuable insights into the effectiveness of media strategies. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the importance of media in the tourism industry, offering recommendations for future research and marketing efforts.

Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
Background that provides a summary of the media representations of the destination..............3
Explanation of the research methods used to conduct the research............................................4
Comparison between the interviewees perceptions and media representations..........................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Today with development of technology it become easy for a person or tourist to grasp
knowledge of any destination through media channels. There are various sources which are used
for developing popularity of a specific place such as YouTube, Facebook, brochures, Instagram,
Magazines and website of cairns community. Through all these sources country or company
able to generate awareness as well as popularity about the destination among tourist. By these
source of media visitors also get know many things about particular place where they want to
visit. Such as exact route for going that place, true experiences of tourists, activities to be
conducted, attractive place, speciality of particular place and many others (Zeng and Gerritsen,
2014). In respective report there is explanation about sources of media which attract visitors and
three destinations of Australian i.e. Great barrier leaf, Green Island and Kuranda. In relation to
this, topics which are explained in respective report summary of destination which are given in
report and how media represent it in order to attract more and more visitors and tourist. Along
with this, it will also include perception of interviewees and media on a particular destination. It
also include research method which can be adopt by researcher in order to conduct research in
effective manner and for this they can use primary as well as secondary method.
MAIN BODY
Background that provides a summary of the media representations of the destination
Media plays an important role in making any destination popular among tourist. This is
so because media represent destination in very attractive manner which encourage tourist to visit
that place once in life time. Media use different different tool which attract tourists such as
attractive images, interviews of visitors, audio visual messages and so on. There are various
mode of promotional activities such as YouTube, Magazines, Facebook, brochures, Instagram,
and website of cairns community which is adopted by media for making destination popular as
well as attractive (Hvass and Munar, 2012). Below is the representation of media of particular
destination:-
Great barrier leaf
It is situated in 2300 kilometre or 1430 miles and it is a world's largest coral reef system
where an individual can do many things for enjoying their vacation such as swim, dive, snorkel
and sail. Along with this, in great barrier leaf a person or tourist can experienced authenticity by

enjoying various activities like ocean life experience, scuba diving, snorkelling activity and
enjoying nature. Here tourist can also enjoy warm waters of grate barrier reef and coral sea from
where they can experienced marine life in incredible way from over as well as under water.
According to media the tourism rate of Great barrier leaf place getting increase day by day
because country as well as tourist companies are making efforts in order to increase their tourism
by attracting more and more tourist.
Green Island
It is located in Queensland of Australia and it is generally a coral clay which is situated in
27 kilometre. Tourist can visit there through charter boats, helicopter and seaplanes. Green Island
is 6000 year old coral cay that is located at Great Barrier Reef Marine Park as well as it is also
consider as seventh natural wonders of world (Munar and Jacobsen, 2014). Here tourist can visit
or experienced more than 120 indigenous species of plant, colourful birds, mesmerising marine
life and so on. Along with this an individual can enjoy various experiences through several
activities such as scuba diving, boat snorkel trip, sea walker, tour of glass bottom boat, helicopter
scenic flights, beach hire at green island, marine land Melanesia and day spa massage and
beauty. Along with this, also liked by tourist because here they can enjoy nature and its elements
such as waterfall, birds, wild life and many more.
Kuranda
It is generally a village rain forest area which is famous for their culture of arts and craft.
Here customers can experienced various things such as train tour, railway experience, waterfall,
rainforest, food and drinks of specialities of Australian, experienced local wildlife and many
more. This place has variety of cafe as well as restaurants where tourist can enjoy outdoor dining
at hill area. Along with this they can also enjoy colourful and beautiful natural beauty at the top
of rainforest adorned mountains (Sigala, Christou and Gretzel, 2012). The respective tourist
destination is liked by visitors because at this place they can enjoy natural life related to village
as well as here they can also enjoy authenticate Australian dishes and drink which are prepared
with traditional method.
Explanation of the research methods used to conduct the research
Research method is refers to plan in systematic manner in order to conduct research in
appropriate manner. By adopting research method researcher able to collect information as well
as data related to topic or issues on which report is based. For this company may conduct

analysis through mainly two methods i.e. primary method and secondary method. In context of
respective research, researcher adopt secondary method for collecting data as well as
information. According to this method, data is collected by researcher through previous research,
books, journals, videos and other sources (Reijnders, 2016). It is generally relies on tried as well
as tested information that is previously evaluated and analysed. Along with this, it is a quick
method because in this researcher use data which are already available. There are various
techniques and tool which are used by researcher such as previous books and articles, journals,
you tube videos, study material, company websites, political analysis, policies and many more.
In respect of this report secondary method used in order to attract visitors or tourist for
destinations of Cairns i.e. Great Barrier Leaf, Green Island and Kuranda. They use various other
sources of media in order to attract visitors are You Tube, Facebook, Brochures, Magazines,
Instagram and Community or company websites. Through You Tube they collect information
related to places and activities which attracts a person and encourage them to spend their
holidays in respective place. Along with this, by the help of Facebook researcher able to show as
well as collect data related to popularity of respective place so that visitors get attracted and get
true reviews. Through brochures they able to collect information regarding activities as well as
place to be visited to be done in Cairns. In addition to this researcher can also collect data
through other resources like previous books and articles, journals, study material, company
websites and others. Such as through Cairns websites researcher able to collect all the necessary
as well as essential information which are related to research topic.
Comparison between the interviewees perceptions and media representations
It is not always possible that customers like a particular place or products in same manner
media shown them. The media represent each and every thing in very beautiful and mesmerise
manner which make product as well as place very attractive and encourage other to adopt it or
visit at particular place (Hall and Williams, 2013). Along with this, it can be also possible that
customers or visitor perspective is totally different form perception of media. Due to which
sometime tourist feel cheated because what they expect they didn't find. So in order to
understand this researcher conduct comparison among perception of interviewees who visited
particular place and media representation:-
Great barrier leaf

According to interviewer it was an amazing and unforgettable experience in Great barrier
reef. Great Barrier Reef is a top Australian outdoor adventure with most popular SCUBA diving
and snorkelling. This place must be visited by every travel enthusiastic person. After visiting this
place interviewer think that it is underrated by media. Many things were not covered by media
and interviewer explore many places which will surly be tourist attraction. Media has shown
place quit expansive which is not true (Goh, Heng and Lin, 2013). Because of its vast size tourist
can access the Great Barrier Reef from various points along the Queensland coast. According to
interviewer tourist can visit and explore this place and can enjoy peaceful trip in less cost and
take life long experience.
Green Island
In the perspective and representation of media Green Island is describe as a beautiful
rainforest which is situated on old coral cay. According to media, traveller can spend approx two
to three days here in order to enjoy nature, colourful birds, day spa massage and beauty and
many more. But when it is asked to interviewee who visited Green Island, they said that the
respective place is good but not that much media shown. According to person, tourist can only
travel that place only for one day. As well they also describe as a place where a person can enjoy
or experienced nature and some sports activities.
Kuranda
According to media the respective place is a village situated in rainforest area or location
where tourist can enjoy nature as well as traditional arts and craft. According to media tourist not
spend much days here because in Kuranda there are very less activities to do which entertain
tourist. But when it is asked to interviewee they liked the place so much and according to him
tourist can spend more then two three day at respective place (Munar, 2012). They also
mentioned that at Kuranda visitors can experienced incredible nature, waterfall, colourful birds
and many other which can make everyone day.
CONCLUSION
From above mentioned topics it is evaluated and conclude that media plays an essential
for attract tourism and encouraging them to visit particular place. Along with this this will also
helpful for visitors because by it these peoples able to get or collect all the information or data
related to specific place where they want to visit. There are various tool or techniques which are
used by media in order to attract visitors or tourist such as YouTube, Facebook, brochures,

articles and journals, Instagram, Magazines, old books and journals, website of cairns
community and many more. Along with this, there media represent a particular destination in
very attractive manner which attract customers and encourage them to visit specific place once.
It cane be done through by showing attractive pictures, true experiences, video, showing
activities and many more. Moreover, if a researcher want to conduct research on any topic or
issues they need to decide method for research through they will collect information and data. In
this respect they can adopt secondary method because it is effective and time saving method. In
addition to this before visitor can also compare experience of visitors and media representation
for knowing appropriate information about the particular destination or place.

REFRENCES
Books and journals
Zeng, B. and Gerritsen, R., 2014. What do we know about social media in tourism? A
review. Tourism management perspectives. 10. pp.27-36.
Hvass, K.A. and Munar, A.M., 2012. The takeoff of social media in tourism. Journal of vacation
marketing. 18(2). pp.93-103.
Munar, A.M. and Jacobsen, J.K.S., 2014. Motivations for sharing tourism experiences through
social media. Tourism management. 43. pp.46-54.
Sigala, M., Christou, E. and Gretzel, U. eds., 2012. Social media in travel, tourism and
hospitality: Theory, practice and cases. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd..
Reijnders, S., 2016. Places of the imagination: Media, tourism, culture. Routledge.
Hall, C.M. and Williams, A.M. eds., 2013. Tourism and migration: New relationships between
production and consumption (Vol. 65). Springer Science & Business Media.
Goh, K.Y., Heng, C.S. and Lin, Z., 2013. Social media brand community and consumer
behavior: Quantifying the relative impact of user-and marketer-generated
content. Information Systems Research. 24(1). pp.88-107.
Munar, A.M., 2012. Social media strategies and destination management. Scandinavian Journal
of Hospitality and Tourism. 12(2). pp.101-120.