How the online presence of a tourist destination affects the country brand. The Case of Lithuania

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Abbreviations
• I. Introduction
  • 1. Goal of the Thesis
  • 2. Thesis Objectives
  • 3. Methods of Research and Analysis
  • 4. Practical use of the thesis
• II. Literature Review
  • 1. Tourist Destination
  • 2. Country Branding
  • 3. Importance of the Online Presence
    • 3.1. The Social Media
    • 3.2. Online Travel Review Sites
    • 3.3. The Use of the Search Engine
• III. Description of the Models Used for Online Presence Evaluation
  • 1. Evaluating the Tourist Destination's Presence on the Social Media Sites
  • 2. Evaluating the Tourist Destination's Presence on the Travel Review Sites
  • 3. Evaluating the Tourist Destination's Presence on the Google Search Engine
  • 4. Evaluating the Level of How Up-To-Date the Destination Relative Content Is
• IV. Online Presence of Lithuania as a Tourist Destination
  • 1. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Social Media Sites
  • 2. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Travel Review Sites
  • 3. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Google Search Engine
• V. Online Presence of the Stronger European Country Brands
  • 1. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Social Media Sites: Spain
  • 2. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Travel Review Sites: Spain
  • 3. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Google Search Engine: Spain
  • 4. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Social Media Sites: Estonia
  • 5. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Travel Review Sites: Estonia
  • 6. Evaluation of the Online Presence on the Google Search Engine: Estonia
• VI. Comparison of the Online Presence of all the Researched Countries
  • 1. Presence on the Social Media Sites: Lithuania vs. Spain vs. Estonia
  • 2. Presence on the Travel Review Sites: Lithuania vs. Spain vs. Estonia
  • 3. Presence on the Google Search Engine: Lithuania vs. Spain vs. Estonia
• VII. Conclusions and Suggestions
• Bibliography
• Appendix I. List of Social Media Profiles of Lithuania
  • 1. Search using the keyword "Lithuania"
  • 2. Search using the keywords "Lithuania" + "Travel"
• Appendix II. List of Social Media Profiles of Spain
  • 1. Search using the keyword "Spain"
  • 2. Search using the keywords "Spain" + "Travel"
• Appendix III. List of Social Media Profiles of Estonia
  • 1. Search using the keyword "Estonia"
  • 2. Search using the keywords "Estonia" + "Travel"

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to test the hypothesis that a country's brand image relies on its online presence. The research evaluates the online presence of Lithuania as a tourist destination and compares it to two stronger country brands. The study seeks to determine whether the online presence of a tourist destination corresponds to its country brand's ranking, considering the limitations and potential errors of the research. The findings contribute to understanding the success of Lithuania's online presence and provide suggestions for improving the country brand and online presence.

• The relationship between a country's online presence and its brand image
• The impact of online presence on tourist destination perception
• Evaluation of online presence using social media, travel review sites, and search engine data
• Comparison of online presence strategies across different countries
• Recommendations for enhancing online presence and country brand image

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter introduces the research question and the hypothesis that the country brand relies on its online presence. It outlines the research objectives, methods, and the practical use of the thesis.
• Literature Review: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of relevant literature on tourist destination, country branding, and the importance of online presence, including social media, online travel review sites, and search engine optimization.
• Description of the Models Used for Online Presence Evaluation: This chapter details the models used to evaluate online presence, including social media, travel review sites, and search engine presence, emphasizing the criteria for measuring online presence effectiveness.
• Online Presence of Lithuania as a Tourist Destination: This chapter presents the evaluation of Lithuania's online presence across social media, travel review sites, and search engine visibility, providing insights into the current state of its online presence.
• Online Presence of the Stronger European Country Brands: This chapter compares the online presence of Spain and Estonia, two stronger European country brands, with Lithuania, highlighting the key differences in their online presence strategies and effectiveness.
• Comparison of the Online Presence of all the Researched Countries: This chapter analyzes the comparative data of Lithuania, Spain, and Estonia's online presence across social media, travel review sites, and search engine visibility, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each country's online presence.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis focuses on the relationship between online presence and country branding, examining the case of Lithuania as a tourist destination. The key terms and concepts include country branding, online presence, tourist destination, social media, travel review sites, search engine optimization, and comparative analysis. The research explores the impact of online presence on the perception of a country's brand image and provides insights into strategies for enhancing online presence and improving a country's brand image.