IMPACTS OF TRAVEL WRITINGS ON POST CONFLICT AND POST DISASTER DESTINATIONS: THE CASE OF HAITI

Dr Hugues SERAPHIN

The University of Winchester (Faculty Business, Law, Sport)

STRUCTURE

1 – Introduction

2 – Profile of the studied destination

3- Defining the travel writings

4 – Methodology

5 – Analysis

6 – Results and perspectives

7 - Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Can travel writings influence tourists’ decision to visit Haiti?

3 types of travel writings:

(1)Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti (Thomson, 2014, 2004) - Book

(2)Haiti (Clammer, 2012) – Travel guide

(3)Travel to Haiti: First Impressions (Noll & Scott, 2014) - Blog

PROFILE OF THE STUDIED DESTINATION

Haiti:

Used to be one of the most visited countries of the Caribbean during the 1950s and 1960s (Séraphin, 2014)

Haiti has been branded as an unsecure destination, a place where the worst is always likely to happen (Higate & Henry, 2009)

2014 – Increase of 20% in terms of visitor number

DEFINING THE TRAVEL WRITINGS

Travel writing is the tale of a journey and since the tale of a journey is the tale of a life experience, it has the witness value and thus it is trustworthy (De Ascaniis & Grecco-Marosso, 2011)Factors that explain why people decide to go (or not) to a destination (Zelinsky, 1970):1. Distance2. Absence of international connectivity3. Factors of attractiveness4. Cost of the destination5. Stability and image of the destination 6. Culture of the receiving destination7. Information fed back to people in generating

country from tourists who have made previous visits to the destination country

METHODOLOGY

3 types of travel writings:(1)Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti (Thomson,

2014, 2004) - Book(2)Haiti (Clammer, 2012) – Travel guide(3)Travel to Haiti: First Impressions (Noll & Scott, 2014) –

Blog

3 types of sources of data:1) Book review sites (Amazon / GoodReads)2) Travel site (TripAdvisor)3) Blog (Uncornered market)

Analysis:4) TextStat5) SPSS

ANALYSIS

Bonjour blanc a journey through Haiti (Thomson, 2014, 2004)Readers’ interest to visit Haiti

Haiti (Clammer, 2012)No evidence guidebook can influence readers

Travels to Haiti: First Impressions (Nott & Scott, 2014)Readers’ interest to visit Haiti

RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES (1)

RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES (2)

RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES (3)

RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES (4)

CONCLUSION

Evidence that the service provided is good

Information about events and sites to visit

Evidence of endorsements by opinion leaders who have already experienced the destination

It is very important for Haiti to take ownership or control of its image via a marketing strategy taking into account a wide range of supports (travel writings included) – Appropriate marketing action taken can change the image of a destination (WTO, 2006)

Travel writings can no longer be overlooked by DMOs

TO REFERENCE THIS PRESENTATION

Séraphin, H. (2015) Impacts of travel writing on post-conflict and post-disaster destinations: The case of Haiti, River Tourism: The Pedagogy and Practice of Place Writing, University of Plymouth, 3rd June, [Online], available from: http://www.fabula.org/actualites/colloque-river-tourism-the-pedagogy-and-practice-of-place-writing_67346.php

REFERENCES

Séraphin, H. (2014) Bonjour blanc a journey through Haïti, as an original form of travel writting, in Roselé Chim, P. & Raboteur, J. (Eds), Les Défis du développement du tourisme et l'intelligence économique des territoires. Villes sur mer et en terre, Paris: Publibook

De Ascaniis, S., Grecco-Morasso, S. (2011). When tourist give their reasons on the web : The argumentative significance of tourism related UGC. Information and communication technology in tourism, 125-137

Higate, P., Henry, M. (2009). Insecure spaces, peacekeeping, power and performance in Haiti, Kosovo and Liberia. Londres : Zed Books

Thomson, I. (2004). Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti, Londres: Vintage