Aesthetics play a fundamental role in the representation and promotion of tourist destinations, particularly through visual platforms such as Instagram. Few studies have examined how Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) use aesthetics to build an attractive image. To contribute to this discussion, this research explores the aesthetic perception conveyed on the official Instagram account of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, under the brand name “Visit Morocco.” A content analysis was conducted on a corpus of 356 photos published between January 2024 and July 2025. The analysis highlights seven recurring clusters, corresponding to distinct aesthetic universes: historical monuments, cities, accommodation (riads and hotels), deserts, gardens, crafts, and beaches. The results reveal that the aesthetic perception of a tourist destination is fundamentally multidimensional and based on the articulation of cultural, natural, and human components. Instagram thus appears to be a strategic lever for visual promotion, helping to shape a plural and emotional image of Morocco as a tourist destination.

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Image Aesthetics as a Tourism Lever: An Analysis of the Instagram Account “Visit Morocco”

  • Samia Idbenssi,
  • Soufiane Benhaida,
  • Larbi Safaa,
  • Mindaugas Samuolaitis,
  • Dalia Perkumienė

摘要

Aesthetics play a fundamental role in the representation and promotion of tourist destinations, particularly through visual platforms such as Instagram. Few studies have examined how Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) use aesthetics to build an attractive image. To contribute to this discussion, this research explores the aesthetic perception conveyed on the official Instagram account of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, under the brand name “Visit Morocco.” A content analysis was conducted on a corpus of 356 photos published between January 2024 and July 2025. The analysis highlights seven recurring clusters, corresponding to distinct aesthetic universes: historical monuments, cities, accommodation (riads and hotels), deserts, gardens, crafts, and beaches. The results reveal that the aesthetic perception of a tourist destination is fundamentally multidimensional and based on the articulation of cultural, natural, and human components. Instagram thus appears to be a strategic lever for visual promotion, helping to shape a plural and emotional image of Morocco as a tourist destination.