Dynamic destination image formation and change under the effect of various agents: The case of Lijiang, 'The Capital of Yanyu'

Destination image plays a crucial role in tourism, and its dynamic process of formation and change is still being studied. A famous World Heritage site, the old town of Lijiang has obtained an image of 'the capital of Yanyu', which has emerged alongside mass tourism development. This does not conform to the officially promoted image and is unique in the Chinese context. Based on field observations, interviews and web data, the study explores this Yanyu image from the perspectives of various relevant actors. The findings show that the formation process of the Yanyu image has been dominated by market forces under the effects of autonomous, induced, and organic agents, and constructed as an image of freedom, leisure and romance. The complex and dynamic characteristics of destination image are discussed, and possible causes of the Yanyu phenomenon are also explored.