A review of cultural and social representations of islands: Implications for island destination marketing

Islands have always inspired human imagination, being associated with heroic journeys, myths, mysteries, and sacred quests, and often romanticised as ideal places to escape from ordinary life towards pleasant tourism destinations. Some studies have assessed island destination image, but only little attention has been paid to the social and cultural representations of islands and their role in island destination image formation. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to conduct in-depth research on the social and cultural meanings of islands and discuss practical implications for destination marketing. This work was based on an extensive literature review of scientific articles, books and chapters on island destinations to identify categories of such meanings assigned to islands over the centuries. The results reveal that islands are generally perceived as sacred and unique remote places, marked by a pristine environment and often associated with a romantic idyll. However, islands also face challenges, as there are several negative image elements, namely related to isolation, inaccessibility, and extreme weather events. Both attractive dimensions and those revealing islands’ vulnerability, visible in social representations, should be considered in destination image assessment, revealing potentialities and challenges for the marketing of island destinations.